Worthy of Hermione
by Citywriter84
Summary: Harry doesn't have much time for girls, with the exception of his best friend, Hermione. He values her as a friend, but will his feelings for her grow to something more? When Hermione receives an irrestistable scholarship to a better school and Harry is raped, can they finally realise their importance to one another and stay together so that Hermione can always support him?
1. Chapter 1

**Horror in the Night**

Harry had had a thoroughly gruelling day so far and now he had double Potions again. This year, Monday was always the worst day of the week. Snape, Umbridge, Trelawney and Professor Binns all in one day! He had never thought he would have a teacher he hated more than Snape, but he had realised his mistake... he had discovered Umbridge.

The scars on his hand from his many detentions with Umbridge shone pearly white as he clenched his stirring stick tightly. Snape came sweeping across the dungeon like an overgrown bat. Hermione gazed at Harry, an anxious look in her soft, brown eyes. "Don't stir like that Harry, stir with gentle motions," she whispered.

Snape paused by Harry's cauldron and sneering at finding nothing to criticise, he swept back down the length of the dungeon. Harry felt a rush of gratitude towards Hermione. His gal pal always helped him out of tight spots and her loyalty to him never wavered. His insides squirmed at the memory of how he had shunned her back in their third year over the matter of his Firebolt. To think it had been Hagrid who had told him that he should value his friend above broomsticks and rats! Hermione did not get on with everyone, but she always looked out for him. Harry gave her a small smile and she blushed and smiled back.

"Sir, Potter's potion is as bad as Longbottom's," sneered Draco Malfoy, flicking a bat's eye at Harry.

Harry glared at Malfoy. Malfoy's silvery eyes were glittering with malice, his fine featured face was flushed, his hair, like spun platinum seemed to gleam in the dim light of the dungeon. Other Slytherins were sniggering and the Slytherin girls were giggling in their irritating way, but Harry never noticed girls - he had no time for any of them - except of course for Hermione. If she hadn't become his friend, who knows where he would have ended up by now? If Voldemort had more brains than Homer Simpson, he would have attempted to remove Hermione from Hogwarts. Harry would have no competent protector then.

As chance would have it, Colin Creevey came scampering into the dungeon at that very moment. "Well?" Demanded Snape.

"Sorry professor, but I've got a message for Hermione Granger. She's wanted by professor Vector, something about a special scholarship," said Colin breathlessly.

"Very well," said Snape, looking bored. "Miss Granger, go to Professor Vector at once."

Hermione patted Harry's arm, collected her book bag and left.

"What would we do without Hermione," muttered Harry to Ron. "No other girl ever helps us like she does."

"My little Sis hasn't given up on you, mate," said Ron.

"Uh-huh," said Harry, not really listening. "I'm going up to the Room of Requirement to rest. For sheer, in your face do what you want it to do, nothing could beat the Room of Requirement as a plot device." Ron gave him an odd look. "I mean if we were in a fantasy series or something," said Harry. Ron just rolled his eyes.

On his way along the seventh floor however, Harry suddenly heard the incantation, "Petrificus totalus," whispered behind him and abruptly felt his whole body stiffen. His arms clapped to his side and his legs sprang together. His jaws clamped shut and he fell over onto his back, hitting the floor with a thump. Malfoy and a group of sniggering Slytherins surrounded him. Malfoy had jumped out of a disused classroom as Harry had walked past and hexed him from behind. If only Mad Eye Moody had been there!

"Put him in there," said Malfoy and the Slytherins bundled Harry into the disused classroom.

"Members of the Inquisitorial Squad can do as we like Potter," said Malfoy sniggering. "You're not the head's favourite boy anymore. New head, new times."

The Slytherins laughed and went away. Harry had to lie there fuming, for several hours as the sun began to set and night fell. Eventually there was a light tread outside the door and a girl came staggering into the room. There was no mistaking that fiery hair, even in the near darkness. It could only be Ginny.

"Harry!" she cried, falling to her knees beside him. He could not answer as he looked up into that freckled face. "Malfoy did this? I heard those snakes gloating about it," she said, stroking his cheek.

She was definitely slurring in her speech. Harry thought she must have been drinking. She leaned closer and his impression was confirmed. Her breath reeked with the stench of strong liquor, possibly firewhisky, Hagrid often drank that stuff like it was water. "That idiot Malfoy was gloating about it," said Ginny, "let me kiss it better," she leaned close and her long red hair obscured his vision.

She kissed him, the pungent smell of her breath invading his nostrils. He felt somewhat indignant. He wouldn't have given her permission to do that. He wouldn't let any girl kiss him! Except for Hermione of course, but she was an exceptional girl. "Sorry," whispered Ginny as she straightened up. "Your mouth is jinxed shut." She tapped his lips with her wand and he felt the hex release his jaws.

"Ginny," he said hoarsely, "let me go."

"You're so cute though, helpless as a little baby," giggled Ginny, stroking his hair. "I could do anything I want with you. But I won't of course." Suddenly she gave a ridiculously affected faux-evil laugh. "Mwah hah hah, or will I? Seriously, I know how to make you feel better."

She pulled off her robes, and then her bra, revealing the pale mounds of her firm breasts and then lunged forward, kissing his neck passionately. "Ginny stop!" he implored and she sat up again. He was startled to see tears shining in her bright brown eyes.

"It's Hermione, isn't it?" she said, her voice quivering. "Well make love to me and see that I'm the one for you."

"No!" said Harry, shocked and indignant. "I can't make love to you..." This angered her. She clapped her hand over his mouth.

"Shut up, okay," she admonished, widening her eyes threateningly. She tapped his mouth with her wand and his jaws sprang shut again. "You are going to get it up for me, not for Hermione. What you see in her I don't know, no one likes her except you and my stupid brother..."

With an overwhelming feeling of helplessness, he could only watch as she pulled off her pants, revealing her squirming vulva. Then with a rising sense of dread, he felt her small hands relieve him of his own pants and caress his manhood. She lowered her face to his member and began to kiss and lick it.

He shuddered at the violation as unwanted sensations coursed through him. He would have pleaded with her to stop at this point, but his lips were still sealed shut. Ginny held his manhood in both her hands and then straddled him.

Even in the dim light, he could see only grim determination in her freckled face. She thrust down and impaled herself on him and he shuddered as feverish sensations coursed through him. She gave an earsplitting moan and lunged forward, locking her lips on his.

The stench of her breath invaded his nostrils. He could feel her firm breasts mashed into his chest. His disloyal body was causing unwanted waves of pleasure and pain to course through him. He could feel his sense of self taking a blow with every piston thrust of her slender loins. She thrust and thrust and then he juddered as she screamed like a banshee and his seed erupted forth into her.

Harry lay, feeling limp and sore and disgusted beyond measure. Ginny patted his cheek, her dark eyes glowing and her cheeks flushed. "How was it?" she asked. "No don't tell... when you're ready, we'll go at it again."


	2. Chapter 2

**Revealations**

After Ginny had raped him a second time, Harry was too dispirited to think about fighting anymore. Ginny eventually fell into a drunken slumber, snuggling right up to him, her warm breath tickling his ear.

He must have dropped off despite himself, for when he came to his senses, the first faint streaks of dawn lit the sky and Ginny was gone. He found that he could move again. She must at least have lifted the curse.

Harry was not keen on bathing as a rule, but now he just wanted to scrub the unclean feelings away, so he hastened to the Room of Requirement, which helpfully became a bathroom even more magnificent than the prefect's bathroom. He scrubbed himself and scrubbed and scrubbed... but he still felt unclean. He felt dirty and ashamed, like he had somehow brought it on himself.

He felt that no one could help him and yet he still wanted comfort and the only sensible and caring person he could think of was Hermione. He dashed into the Great Hall as fast as he could, hoping Ginny would not be there and taking care not to meet anyone's eye. Hermione looked up as he approached and caught his eye. Her chocolate brown eyes widened as she sensed his unease. She stood up and led him from the hall and into the shelter of the school fruit orchard.

Harry knew he could always confide in Hermione, but he felt too ashamed. "I-I'm in trouble, Hermione," he said. "This is bigger than usual. Normally I get away with things, but now I can't even talk about it."

Hermione gazed at him, her soft eyes brimming with concern. "Look at me Harry," she said. "I have already studied Legilmency in my spare time."

Harry looked into her soft, shimmering eyes and they clasped hands. Those brown eyes filled his entire vision and he felt a sense of wellbeing replace his hurt...

Hermione released his hands, her eyes shining with tears. "Oh Harry, this is awful!" she said, beginning to cry. "How could Ginny have..." They hugged one another in the shelter of the bushes. Harry could not face the rest of the school anyway. Eventually Hermione whispered to him - "I have received a scholarship to go to Beauxbatons Harry, but I wouldn't go unless you went with me. You are the Boy Who Lived and even though the stupid Ministry is always having a go at you with their sleazy propaganda tool, the Daily Prophet, Madame Maxime was impressed by your heroism throughout the Triwizard Tournament and has accepted you on the same terms. Hagrid spoke very highly indeed to her about you, so that helped. Now we can both leave this dump and get a proper education. Free of the Weasleys and of Umbridge."

Harry felt such an overwhelming sense of relief and gratitude that he could not speak, but just hugged his best friend fiercely. They had to go into Gryffindor Common Room one last time to pack their things however, and when they got there, the twins and Ginny were waiting for them.


	3. Chapter 3

**Escape!**

Fred and George stood grimly by the entrance to the dormitories. "Oi Potter," said Fred, his voice unusually serious. "We understand you've been having your way with our little sister."

Harry stood very still, his heart pounding. He was not ready to confront Ginny. Just seeing her again was a trigger for a rising sense of panic.

"That is not true, Fred," said Hermione, her voice hard and angry. "I don't know what lies your sister has told you, but her behaviour was appalling."

"Oh we all know how you want Harry for yourself, Granger," said Ginny, her voice rising hysterically and her freckled cheeks flushing with anger.

"This won't do Harry," said George, shaking his head, his eyes hard. "If you do the deed with a witch, you've got to marry her."

"She raped him!" snarled Hermione. The other Gryffindors were gathering around the five of them, forming a tight circle, awaiting a fight with avid anticipation.

"In our world, we believe witches cannot rape and that only wizards can do that," said Fred, an almost smug sound in his voice. "That's the Ministry law Hermione. I don't know what strange ideas muggles have about egalitarianism and impartiality..." he pulled a disgusted face.

"He's right!" said Shirley, a girl in Hermione's dormitory who now stood at the front of the crowd. "Are you still having trouble acclimatising to the magical world Hermione?" Shirley's dark eyes glinted and she grinned a nasty grin. "Remember when we called you Granger the stranger back in first year?"

"I don't need you to remind me that I was muggle raised, Shirley," said Hermione coldly. "It shouldn't matter - magic or muggle, rape remains a crime."

"We intend to market our own line of magical date rape drugs, exclusively for witches, next year," said Fred, shaking his head. "And we can do that legally and in public, as long as no wizard tries to make use of one."

"There is a concept the muggles thought of which witches and wizards still believe in, even today - duelling. A trial by fire as it were!" said Shirley. "You can fight to see who is right." There were murmurs of approval from the crowd.

"I'd be sorry to have to use force on you, Harry," said George with a threatening tone.

"I'm not," said Fred, "it's a language I can understand." Fred, George and Ginny raised their wands, but Hermione had already conjured a glowing white net in the air which captured their hexes. Ginny's bat bogey hex flapped hopelessly in the net before evaporating.

"Fight! Fight! Fight!" chanted the trouble-loving Gryffindors, who formed a tight circle around them.

Harry quickly fired two jelly legs jinxes, one at George, the other at Ginny. They collapsed on, the floor, cursing. Hermione, already able to do non-verbal spells, fired the full body bind curse at Fred. Harry and Hermione attempted to make a break for the dormitories, but the Gryffindors shoved them into the circle again, eager for the fight to continue.

George attempted to fire an arm lockering curse in retaliation, but Harry's shielding charm deflected it and it rebounded on George, locking his arms together instead. Ginny subjected Harry to an intense glare. The air around her seemed to crackle with her anger. "We are bonded through your seed in me, like it or not, my wretched lover," she said her voice rising. Harry felt an icy surge of terror as he remembered his helplessness the previous night as she had straddled him and raped him... he remembered losing control of his body...

With an expression of cold fury on her face, Hermione sent a silencing jinx at Ginny who clutched at her throat, her voice temporarily silenced.

"Hopeless, Weasleys, just hopeless," said Lee Jordan, shaking his head. The Gryffindors lust for action subsided, allowing Harry and Hermione to ascend the steps to Harry's dormitory.

"You see, the architects of the dorms had the same delusion as the Ministry - that witches cannot rape," said Hermione, her tone giving away her anger and indignation. "But even muggles know they can and the existence of the magical world is hidden from them these days!"

Harry quickly packed his trunk and Hermione helped him transfer it into her small beaded bag, the interior of which had been extended so that it contained her possessions as well.

"The Weasleys will be waiting for us downstairs!" said Harry, after he had finished packing, very worriedly, "they might tell Umbridge. She would force me to marry Ginny out of sheer spite!"

"It's OK," said Hermione soothingly, patting Harry's arm. "Madame Maxime and I have set up a portkey so that we can leave from this dormitory in precisely one minute." She indicated a small, blue jug by the window, which had two handles. They both took hold of a handle and then counted down the rest of the minute. With just seconds to go, they heard a commotion down below. There were voices coming up the stairs. "Three - two..." counted Hermione desperately. The dormitory door was blasted open and Ginny stood there, her eyes hard and blazing, the twins on either side. But at that moment, Harry felt a jerk from behind his navel and he was whisked away, in a whirl of sound and colour, Hermione at his side.


	4. Chapter 4

**Changes At Beauxbatons**

"You're very welcome, Harry and Hermione," said Madame Maxime. "Hagrid assured me that you would prove to be the best students of your year. He evidently has great faith in the both of you. He has taken a job as groundskeeper here and you can visit him whenever you like. That dreadful Umbridge has fired him from Hogwarts, by the way. She hates everything except for monkeys like Fudge, for she herself cannot count as human given the way she runs Hogwarts."

Hermione, glanced at Harry who had been distressingly quiet since Ginny had raped him. "We have our own dormitory here," she said, hoping her voice was not quavering. Obviously Harry needed all the privacy he could get.

"Your medical examinations will take place first," said Madame Maxime. "This week we will be able to decide on options for you catching up in the French language Harry, but there is still time to decide on that."

* * *

Harry underwent his medical first, giving Hermione chance to speak to the head in private.

Hermione dropped her voice to a whisper; ""The night before we left Hogwarts, Harry was raped. She used him and I just wanted him away from her..." she said clutching her hands tightly together, "I don't know how to help him and I feel so terrible it's driving me insane! Most don't believe that females can rape people but they can and do."

Madame Maxime's heavy features showed a thoughtful expression. Clearly she was pondering the matter. "I know that," she said finally, "Here's what I think you should do; First, you need to get Harry to talk to you and then once he's ready to talk to someone, I know someone who could help him."

* * *

After their medicals, Hermione made her best effort at broaching the subject with Harry in the dormitory that had been allocated to them both. "You know that I'm always here if you need to talk, Harry," she said, feeling her face growing hot. She wished she could stop her face turning pink, but obviously she couldn't.

Harry gave a small nod. "Look at that!" he exclaimed, pointing upwards. "I thought I saw a man's shadow - or a large spider on the ceiling, but I can't have done."

Hermione knew that it was crucial for him to trust her. He would show it if he didn't try to change the subject. She put her arms around him. "Do you want to talk about it?" she said.

"I feel dreadful, so churned up inside," said Harry in a dull voice, not meeting her eye. "Ginny took something precious from me in a way I didn't even know was possible. It was my first time and she took my virginity from me."

"Listen to me - no one with any sense blames you," said Hermione, with a rush of gladness that he was opening up to her. She wanted him to look at her but she would take what she could for now; "you do trust me, don't you?" she asked, hugging him tight.

"Of course," said Harry, "I'd have been doomed at Hogwarts without you there. I would have been killed in my first year and it's not home without you with me."

"Then you must know that I love you and want to help," said Hermione.

"I know you do, but give me time. I'm afraid I lost the ebony hairbrush you gave me," said Harry, "it just seems to have disappeared."

"That's alright, what's important is that you can talk to someone about it," said Hermione, still holding him tightly to her. "I really think some counselling would help - we should both go."

* * *

Harry and Hermione both attended Harry's first counselling session; Harry did not think he could face it without Hermione there to support him. Amélie, the counsellor, surprised Harry. She was a beautiful girl, who didn't appear to be much older than Hermione and her face and body were the colour of healthy green grass. Her dark eyes seemed to penetrate him as he sat opposite her, Hermione at his side.

Incurious though he was about his surroundings, Harry decided to ask Hermione afterwards whether the counseller was a magical being of some kind. He smiled to himself inwardly at how the odious Umbridge held non-human magical beings in such contempt and how she would fume if she knew that one was helping him.

As if sensing his thoughts, Amélie beamed at him. "Welcome," she said and her voice was strangely husky. "I know Harry, that you have been hurt and I can sense exactly how. I have greater powers of empathy than any human. It is important that you can talk about it freely. That is the first step towards healing. It is telling that you want Hermione here to support you."

In the counselling session, with Hermione always holding his hand, Harry felt that he could slowly, hesitatingly, tell Amélie what she already knew. He felt as though something poisonous was being extracted from him. Not even Voldemort and Umbridge had given him the psychological scars that Ginny had inflicted. Physical hurt is no substitute for emotional pain.

Harry felt somewhat drained after the session, but also relieved. Now at least, he could speak freely of his ordeal with Hermione and Amélie. That was a start.

After the session Amélie requested that Hermione stay behind for a moment. She handed her a little wooden box. "This Hermione contains a symbiote, carefully nurtured by us Hamadryads. I can see that you are worthy of its help, when dire need should arise. I sense a disturbance here in the palace. You must keep it with you and keep it safe at all times." Hermione thanked her and hurried after Harry.

* * *

Their classes began tomorrow so they took the time that afternoon to explore the grounds. The grounds at Beauxbatons were lush and expansive. Harry and Hermione rested in a glade by a pond of pink water. "One of the rainbow ponds," explained Hermione, "there is a pond of turquoise water nearby."

"So Amélie is a hamadryad?" Said Harry.

"Yes, Amélie is the name she uses amongst witches and wizards, but her real name is a closely guarded secret. It's a really good idea for her to be the counsellor, a hamadryad's powers of empathy are astonishing. I really believe we can help you heal."

"I'm nervous about classes tomorrow," Harry confessed, unease in his voice. "I understand they take education much more seriously here."

"You'll be fine, Harry," said Hermione. "I'll help you."

Harry and Hermione had their own bedroom, with separate fourposter beds. That evening, when he and Hermione had washed and had dressed in their nightclothes, Harry was sorting through his papers. "I've lost the form I was given after the medical," he said. "It's vanished as well. I suppose I have to ask for another to sign. You know, I keep getting this feeling we're being watched.

Hermione opened the box Amélie had given her. Inside there appeared to be a bright, vividly green, shapeless material. She touched it. "It's alive!" she exclaimed. "It's like... holding warm nutella, but it's thinking. It is indeed a sentient creature and it's talking to me. Warning me... of danger!"

She caught Harry by the hand and suddenly, he felt the warning that she could feel as she touched the symbiote in the box. "There's an intruder on the ceiling!" Harry looked up.

A large black spider clung to the ceiling, remaining quite still. Hermione grabbed the symbiote and held it in her left hand, leaping in front of Harry and brandishing her wand in her right. The spider leapt down from the ceiling, swelling shockingly in size. When it landed it had morphed into a small, hunched man with bulging, wicked black eyes and a horrible sneer. "The dark lord sent me, Potter," he said, leering at Harry. "Nothing can save you now. I have your hair from your hairbrush and your signature now too, now that I stole your medical form and will use it for a convincing _suicide_ note!"

Hermione raised her wand with her right hand, the green material clinging to her left and a stream of beautiful lights, all the colours of the rainbow issued from her wand's tip. The intruder raised his wand and it spewed forth absolute darkness. Harry, heart thumping, picked up his own wand, but now the rainbow lights prevailed and the intruder gave a horrible scream and vanished.

"Is it over?" asked Harry, although he doubted it was.

"No!" cried Hermione and sticky strands of a viscous white material began to tumble from the ceiling. Hermione grasped Harry by the hand and they hurried from the room. The strands seemed to grope after them but drew back when Hermione brandished the green symbiote at them.

To the East Tower, through the portal, said Hermione. She was pale, but Harry recognised that determined look in her eyes. They ran down a corridor and Hermione tapped the oaken door at the end with her wand. It flew open. At the other end of the room, there was a glowing circle of pale blue-green light. Hermione took Harry by the hand and they both stepped through, Harry closing his eyes and bracing himself in case of any impact...

And then they were out on the parapet of a tall tower, perhaps the tallest in the palace. By the light of Hermione's wand, they had a spectacular view of the landscape for miles around. The wind at this height blew Hermione's bushy hair about her. She pushed her hair out of her face.

"The spider man is still following us," said Hermione, breathing in deeply in an effort to calm herself. "He must be intending to use your hair to polyjuice himself so he can pose as you..." She stretched out the symbiote in both her hands so that it became like a smooth flat sheet of vividly green material. Such a bright green too... Hermione peered at it and little tentacles seemed to sprout from the side nearest her face.

"So that thing is telling you what to do?" said Harry in wonder. "How intelligent is it? Does it know where the spider bloke is?"

"We can defeat him... there is a way... yes..." Hermione seemed lost in thought, "I've got to become one with it!"

"Become one with it?" said Harry bemused.

Hermione turned to him. "This is the last you will see of this face," she said, her voice trembling slightly, her eyes bright.

"Don't go anywhere, for goodness sake, we can't split up," said Harry, but Hermione suddenly wrapped the symbiote around her face, giving a little gasp as it clung tightly to her. Harry watched in astonishment as it moulded itself to the shape of her face, becoming, to all intents and purposes, a second skin. Hermione covered her face with her hands, giving a little groan. The symbiote must be on uncomfortably tight.

Then Hermione looked up again. Her whole face was now bright green, smooth and shiny. Her lips were a much darker green, almost black. "I- I've fused with the symbiote," she said in a hushed voice, stroking her green cheek. "It took root in me and I - we - we're the same. I can feel... down the stairs..." she raised her wand and blasted the trapdoor with the reductor curse. A dark shadow came rushing through the hole in the stone floor, and shot high into the air, careening out of control high above them with nothing to check its velocity. Evidently it had supposed there would still be a trapdoor to check its headlong flight up the tower. Hermione fired a stunning spell at it and it fell to the stone floor in a heap.

The intruder lay at their feet in a crumpled heap. Harry pulled up his left sleeve and saw the Dark Mark, branded black onto his forearm. "So he is a Death Eater as well as an unregistered animagus," he said grimly. "Well, at least Madame Maxime is not in denial about Voldemort's return. We can hand him over to her."

Hermione wrinkled her shiny green nose in disgust as she looked down on their fallen foe. "I wonder where Voldemort dug him up from?" she thought aloud.

"He looks awful, but that's normal for a Death Eaters. He's a blundering idiot, but so are most of them," said Harry, poking the spider mage with his foot. "But Hermione, now you're wearing that mask, you can sense if something is coming?"

Hermione stroked her green cheek with the tip of her finger and then felt the tip of her nose. "It's not a mask - it's not coming off," she said softly, "and I can do much more than sense if something is coming. I can feel thoughts from the palace, from the creatures, birds and insects... will the hamadryads help me control it and focus? I could have a lot of new power, but I won't look the same again."

"You look good," said Harry. He hadn't thought of girls romantically before, but Hermione was the person he trusted most and her brightly coloured face was definitely attractive in its way... she put her arms around him, hugging him close to her.

"Oh Harry, I'm so worried," she said. "After all we've been through ... and Ginny ... and it's only just begun. Voldemort will stop at nothing... I couldn't ever stand to lose you..." there were tears in her warm brown eyes and Harry hugged her closely to him. Her bright green cheek felt cool and smooth against his own.

"As long as you're with me, I'm not too worried," he said.

That night, after the Death Eater was handed over to the headmistress, they slept in each others' arms, and neither Voldemort nor Ginny invaded Harry's dreams.


	5. Chapter 5

**Generations**

Back in England, on the stroke of the witching hour, the wind howled and branches blew in a summer storm. Rookwood knelt before Voldemort in the master study of the Riddle House, Voldemort's ancestral home and trembled. He could not bring himself to look up into that terrible face of evil. "My lord," he croaked, "Arachnos has failed..."

"Failed?" at the sound of that chilling voice Rookwood trembled even harder. He felt invisible hands forcing him to look upwards. Voldemort's demonic eyes bored into his, blasting aside the outer layers of his consciousness, scrutinising all that Rookwood had learned from the Death Eaters' spies in the vicinity of Beauxbatons. Arachnos, the animagus spy he had sent after Potter had been discovered and captured. The spies had had to retreat for the time being. It seemed that Harry Potter now had a girlfriend with super human powers whom the Death Eaters had been utterly unprepared for.

"My lord, Arachnos was unworthy of your great presence..." Rookwood began.

"Stand up Rookwood," whispered Voldemort. "I have a new scheme. Potter is doomed this time! That is certain. Now fetch our newest recruit."

Rookwood left and returned with a young girl with long, fiery red hair, still in Hogwarts robes. "Ginny Weasley, My Lord," he announced, ushering the girl forwards.

"A Weasley?" said Voldemort. "You would join us? Why?" Rookwood watched as the Dark Lord subjected Ginny to that intense glare. She met it unflinching and to Rookwood's astonishment, his master recoiled.

"You have it in you?" he exclaimed.

"I do!" said the girl coolly, her freckled face showing no fear.

"Leave us Rookwood," said Voldemort. Rookwood hastened to obey.

When he was gone Ginny decided to explain. Clearly Voldemort had no idea how she came to have his horcrux inside her.

"Harry stabbed that diary you created with a basilisk fang, years ago, but my psychic link with the Horcrux still worked. I let it attach itself to me as its diary home was burned up. It slept in my subconscious for years and in time it grew inside me. It whispers to me, gives me ideas. I hurt the Boy Who Lived like no one can. We are one and the same, you and I. You cannot die as long as I survive."

"Then you are indeed my most valuable recruit," said Voldemort, very gravely. "I usually do not admit witches into the ranks of the Death Eaters, but you are truly exceptional. We will proceed with the initiation rite straightaway."

* * *

In France, Harry awoke the next morning to sunlight streaming in through the windows and the sound of birdsong. But perhaps there was time to just snooze a little first. He snuggled closer to Hermione. It had been so comforting to sleep with her near him. Night terrors had not troubled him while she was there. He smiled faintly as he gazed at her. Time to face his first day as a Beauxbatons student.

The early morning sunlight shone off her green nose and cheeks. She looked so serene as she slumbered. As he listened to her gentle breathing, Harry felt the warm glow of love for this unique and wonderful person. He held her close so that her bushy hair obscured his vision, wishing he could stay in this position forever. Her scent was pure, warm and herbal...

At that moment Hermione stirred and awoke; her eyelids fluttering open. "Morning Harry," she said, her dark green lips forming a smile. "I can't wait to study at a real school. They say the Beauxbatons library is one of the greatest in Europe."

Harry smiled at her fondly. That was his Hermione! Studying was what made her happiest.

"I never studied French," said Harry. "I'm going to really struggle, even though Beauxbatons is a bilingual school. The muggle government stopped ordinary primary schools teaching modern languages decades ago. And Hogwarts education is a real joke."

"I went to a special muggle school for gifted girls before Hogwarts and learned French there," said Hermione. "I have the power to share the knowledge with you now, dear Harry. The symbiote gives me the hamadryad power of empathy and sharing of thoughts. If our lips touch, you can feel my knowledge of French."

Harry and Hermione brought their lips together and kissed and at that moment, Harry felt a ripple of new knowledge - that of the French language. He dimly recalled someone telling him something about the language before... "It's a pretty sounding language, isn't it?" he said aloud. "The muggles call it the language of love...?"

Hermione smiled at him. "We'll definitely have chance to practice," she said. Harry touched his lips. She had kissed him so tenderly. He had always used to be sure that kissing girls did not appeal to him, but being closer to Hermione was definitely what he wanted...

Before they could visit the library, Harry and Hermione had to go to a special assembly where the headmistress was to warn all of Beauxbatons about the risks posed by the Death Eaters' infiltration. Harry was glad that he could understand French now, given the whisperings in that language that followed him as he walked down the corridor, holding Hermione's hand: "That's the Boy Who Lived..."

"I can't think why he stayed at Hogwarts for so long, that school is no good..."

"That's his girlfriend then... with the green face..."

In assembly they got to sit in the places of honour, with the Head Girl and Head Boy, as Madame Maxime praised them for capturing the Death Eater the previous night.

"But be warned my children," said Madame Maxime and her expression grew grave. "The British Ministry has refused point blank to accept that He Who Must Not Be Named is back and they subjected Harry to much persecution for trying to warn everyone. They even fired Dumbledore from Hogwarts for trying to warn everyone as well. They have foisted the terrible Dolores Umbridge on that school now. I anticipate more Hogwarts students moving to Beauxbatons soon. Be wary of the Death Eaters and their spies, for they operate everywhere."

After the assembly Aurélie, the head girl, came over to Harry and Hermione. She had long, shining golden hair and a vibrantly green face, just like Hermione's. "You must come with me Hermione, Harry," she told them. "There is a special class for those of us who have the hamadryads' favour and have been granted special powers. It's a very select group, because they only choose the humans they consider to be the absolute most worthy."

"That's Hermione for you," said Harry and Hermione beamed at him.

Aurélie smiled and led them to a small room off to the side of the hall, decorated with ornate marble carvings of fruits and filled with lush plants and brightly coloured flowers that gave off a heady aroma. Two other girls were waiting for them there, both with shiny, bright green faces like Hermione and Aurélie. One was an older girl with lustrous auburn hair and bright, emerald green eyes and the other was a girl of about twelve, with a cascade of dark brown hair that reached down to her waist.

"Pénélope, Lucie, here is Hermione, our newest member and Harry, the Boy Who Lived," said Aurélie.

The green face of the younger girl split into a wide grin and she rushed up to hug Harry: "Harry, I can hardly believe it, this is such an honour. I'm Lucie. Madame Maxime has told us, you are such a hero, you fought You-Know-Who at the Triwizard Tournament and the British Ministry are all a load of donkeys so I couldn't care less what they think..." she said all this very fast.

But Harry was transfixed by Pénélope. Such green eyes, just like his mother's. Auburn hair, like his mother's. Harry still grived for his lost parents. Seeing their images in the Mirror of Erised years before had brought both joy and great pain. Would the hamadryads have considered Lily to be as worthy as Pénélope? If she had been given greater powers, maybe Lily would be alive today, with a vivid green face, just like Pénélope...

"Oh Harry..." said Lucie, her brown eyes filling with tears.

Hermione took Harry hands in both of hers and gazed into his eyes. At that moment, he felt the two of them come together in a way he could not explain and had never before experienced. It was as though they communicated without words... but more than that. It was as though she had wrapped him in a warm hug and was proving that she understood the pain and conflict within him.

"Give succour, Hermione!" came the thought from Aurélie.

Harry knew that he still had unresolved issues, but now he was finally turning a corner. The rest of the session involved Aurélie coaching the other girls in their special powers. They communicated with one another in thought, Harry watching, unable to participate. Each of their green faces had a serene expression.

When it was time to leave, Hermione looked deeply troubled. "We must go to the library after classes Harry," she told him. "Aurélie tells me that it is known where muggle borns come from and that the British Ministry has organised a huge cover up in Britain. We are in fact the illegitimate children of wizards who rape muggle women and cuckold their husbands..." she choked and her voice broke off.

Harry squeezed her hand and she continued, though her voice was unsteady: "I'm not my Dad's biological daughter. The man whose genetics I got my magic gene from is some wizard rapist. The British ministry kept all "muggle born" records and their biological father, but the whole government is so corrupt that one of their workers sold the records to collectors of such things here in France and Beauxbatons library was eventually able to get a copy..." Her chocolate brown eyes were bright with tears.

Harry hugged her. "You're still my Hermione, however you were conceived and I love you more than anyone else," he said.

"We must find out who conceived me and who conceived your mother too, Harry," said Hermione. "And we must find a way to stop this. Those poor muggles..." sparkling tears trickled down her green cheeks.

It was just like Hermione to want to fight on behalf of those who were helpless and victimised. Harry recalled how everyone, including himself, had laughed at her when she was worried about how house elves were exploited. Dobby had made a mockery of her labours on behalf of the house elves by putting all the hats she had knitted on his head, but Hermione would never stop fighting for what she thought was right. There was fire in her - that's what Harry loved.

* * *

Classes were exhausting, just as Harry had expected. He had learned some basic maths at muggle primary school, but it didn't go far when studying proper arithmetic. Even with Hermione's help, the study of maths, languages and the sciences left his brain in a whirl and he had not recovered when they went to the library that evening.

Hermione was delighted with the library. The place was the size of a cathedral and bookshelves with tomes on all possible subjects towered above them. Her eyes lit up and she rubbed her hands together. "This is our home Harry, I feel we really belong here," she said, her eyes sparkling. "But now we must look at the Ministry records..."

There was a copy of the British Muggle Born Register in the reference section and Hermione soon found her name. She sat very still. Harry peered at the page. "Mr Crouch!" he exclaimed. "Well of all the nerve... he was no better than his dreadful son!" He took Hermione's hand in both of his and spoke more softly. "At least he wasn't a Death Eater, Hermione."

Hermione rubbed her green cheek. "All those times he was at Hogwarts..."

"He was under the Imperius Curse. I doubt Voldemort would have let him wish his daughter well," said Harry, putting his arm around his shoulder.

"But before... and we met at the World Cup and came to Hogwarts on. And he raped my mother and he considered me a liability...! Pretended I never existed," she said choking, tears spilling down her green face. "It's obscene." She balled her hands into fists. "He hurt my mother... it's too late for revenge!" she snarled and her eyes flashed. Harry was alarmed to see her like this, so put his arms around her. She calmed down and snuggled against him.

"But Mr Crouch was an exceptionally gifted wizard," said Harry. "He spoke more than two hundred languages whereas most wizards in Britain only know English and at the World Cup, he had the common sense and knowledge to pass as a muggle. Nine wizards out of ten turned up in negligees and leg warmers...! It fits that you could only have been sired by an unusually clever wizard. And look at all these other names..." he inhaled sharply, spotting his mother's name on the list, "so my mother was conceived by Ron's great uncle Billius. Being a rapist runs in that family." He shivered.

Hermione put an arm around his shoulder and he relaxed a little, enjoying being with her. "Molly once boasted about giving a muggle a love potion," she said, brushing her hair away from her face. "Remember when we were in Diagon Alley together, the summer Sirius escaped from Azkaban? That was the love potion she was boasting about. But Arthur knew and was OK with it that time. She had raped an exceptionally handsome muggle with red hair by enslaving him with a love potion and that was how she became pregnant with Bill. Arthur married her after that and she said she was able to give him a flawless son in return. But I bet she didn't stop abusing muggles while she was married. I mean, Bill and that disgusting Ginny are both good looking," Hermione scowled at having to think about Ginny again. "And Percy and poor Ron and the bullying twins are not. And Charlie doesn't look like any of his siblings."

Harry felt a shiver down his spine. "So Ginny is like a cousin and she committed incest..." panic welled up in him.

"Look at me!" said Hermione.

He turned to her, his mind anchored by her green face and her warm brown eyes and he felt peaceful again as her powers of empathy took away his hurt.

"You are only second cousins," said Hermione when he was calm again. "And the stupid Ministry allows witches to behave atrociously to anyone, magic or muggle. You know of the muggle tales of sleep paralysis? Where young muggle men would find themselves paralysed during the witching hour with a witch on top of them, raping them?"

"Succubi," said Harry nodding.

"Well all that would require is the body bind curse, which even an eleven year old witch could easily cast," said Hermione grimly.

"It seems to me that Voldemort fits right into the magical world and that his takeover seems a logical progression, given how low the Ministry are already," said Harry.

"And Voldemort will strike again," said Hermione, a grim look on her green face. "And we had better be prepared."

"You know something?" said Harry, "I was totally unprepared for that Spider Death Eater and I was thinking - slacking off with Ron never did me any good. I should apply myself more, like you do, even if I can't have power like yours."

"Harry, you've no idea how glad I am that you've realised that for yourself," said Hermione, her brown eyes shining, "and it's never too late to start. We can train more than ever. We can study early in the morning if necessary. Now how best to start..." she pondered the matter for a moment. She was so cute when deep in thought. Harry felt that he wanted to stroke her green cheek. She gazed at him with those soulful brown eyes. What could she be thinking? Harry of course could not read her mind. He would have to guess.

"I know!" he exclaimed, "you're thinking that improving my numeracy would be a good place to start. I don't want to be innumerate."

Hermione nodded. "You're right about not starting with anything too ambitious. You've always been my brave boy - that has always been most important. Becoming a scholar as well can be a bonus." Her dark green lips twitched to form a small smile. That little dimple in her cheek still showed, despite her skin being so different. "I always thought bravery was the most important virtue. That's why I was sorted into Gryffindor, although I was quite unhappy there until you were my friend. Actually three of the other girls - Lavender, Parvati and a nasty piece of work named Shirley - thought I should be ostracised. Shirley said that the others were too tolerant to put up with one of my kind in the dorm."

"Who was this Shirley?" said Harry indignantly, "I would like to hex her. I never even bothered to learn her name and can't remember what she looks like. Actually, the only Gryffindor girls from your dormitory who I can remember were Parvati and Lavender. There were two others, but I never learned their names!"

"The other is Carly and she was kinder to me," said Hermione, "she hugged me once in the dormitory shortly before our first Halloween at Hogwarts. When I was crying and Ron had been being horrible about me and Shirley had put a centipede in my hair. I had really begun to think that I would have to leave Hogwarts."

Hermione twirled a strand of her bushy hair with her finger. She was lost in thought again. She looked even cuter than before. For a moment, Harry felt that he wanted to kiss her shiny cheek, but instead he blurted out; "it seems bad to say this, but Ron was more trouble than he was worth. He almost stopped us from ever being friends. At least he's not here now."

Hermione slipped her hand in his. "That's water under the bridge. I found my purpose in life at Hogwarts."

* * *

Back in England, Ginny took her place at Voldemort's right hand side at the next meeting of the Death Eaters. Secure in the knowledge that she was indispensible, she thought she may as well show the other Death Eaters that she outranked them all.

Bellatrix Lestrange glared at her and she smiled back.

"My lord, this blood traitor brat is as bad as any mudblood," Bella spat, "she defiles us just by being here."

"Silence Bella, Ginny is a pureblood and has done more to hurt Harry Potter than you ever have," said Voldemort, a small smile twisting his lipless mouth.

"I think I should show Bella that I mean business," said Ginny, gripping her wand, "I think we should settle it by combat, she and I. We could call it a trial by fire." The Dark Lord loved to watch fighting. If he had only presented himself as a rabid Quidditch fan he might have succeeded as a public figure. He had agreed with her on this point the previous night; Quidditch was a brutal sport, but the fact that players rarely died meant that it was not as thrilling as it could be.

"You are too precious to risk," said Voldemort, but his red eyes gleamed in anticipation of carnage. Some of the Death Eaters raised their eyebrows at this. Voldemort had never before spoken so fondly of any living person. Nagini, coiling around his neck, hissed at Bella.

The Death Eaters scrambled out of the way, forming a circle around Ginny and Bellatrix who paced around each other warily. Ginny felt heat building up behind her eyeballs and hearing the cries of the other Death Eaters, she supposed her eyes must be flashing scarlet. They had begun to do that a lot of late as the Horcrux grew within her.

Bellatrix shireked and burning orange Fiendfyre erupted from her wand, but then time seemed to slow down. The yells of the other Death Eaters slowed to a low murmur. The billowing orange fire seemed to halt its advance. Time belonged to Ginny. She felt the presence of the shard of Voldemort in her. A comforting presence. They had taught one another so much. Ginny knew the spell that could triumph over Fiendfyre. Dark magic known only to the Dark Lord - the Septic Star curse. Ginny drew on the reserves of strength within her. Intense heat clawed at her insides. She channeled it through her wand. It burst forth, searing, blue hot fire, focused on Bellatrix. It utterly engulfed the burning orange Fiendfyre. It utterly engulfed Bella, not even leaving her time to shriek. Soon there was nothing left of Bellatrix, not even charred bones. It was just as well Narcissa had not been at the meeting.


	6. Chapter 6

**The Battle of Beauxbatons**

**Author's Note: ** _This chapter has been updated to include Hermione's parents taking refuge at Beauxbatons. It starts on an evening soon after chapter five. _

"Now this is something worth knowing," Hermione whispered to Harry.

They were working late in the Beauxbatons library as they usually did nowadays, trying to catch up on the work they missed. Harry needed all the help in his schoolwork he could get from Hermione.

The two of them were ensconced in their little alcove in the library, which had towering shelves and big, ancient-looking leather bound tomes. surrounded by towering oaken bookshelves with ancient leather bound tomes. This was the section for ancient and obscure magic. Their school books were piled on the gleaming oaken table. Hermione was doing some additional research on her meta-human powers, searching through all the volumes on the subject that she could find.

Harry looked up and peered at the latest volume she was trawling through. On one page of yellowing parchment there was a diagram of some fantastic, many headed monster...

"A super-patronus," said Hermione. "The theory is all here. If many witches and wizards could be psychically linked and pool their powers, then they could combine their patroni and create a guardian of stupendous power! I think that such a protector could do more than simply drive Dementors away. This book doesn't say if their theory has ever been proven right, though. It would be great if it were really practicable. If only I could find more books on how to channel magic through a psychic bond," Hermione said enthusiastically, completely swept up in her research.

Harry smiled at her fondly. Her green face, framed by her rebellious brown curls, was glowing with enthusiasm, just as it always did when she was discussing her research.

Hermione stroked her green cheek, lost in thought for a moment. "My mum and dad will arrive soon," she said slowly, "Everything is so serious back home now... the Death Eaters are taking over everywhere. Aurélie will be bringing them both here, this evening."

Hermione swallowed, her eyes bright with tears. "I wonder if I can bear it, knowing what I know now. Did that horrible Mr Crouch just turn up at the practice one day, rape my mother and obliviate her? And dad is not my biological father. My magic is proof of it. I just know it's going to really hurt him." Sparkling tears trickled down her green cheeks.

Harry hugged her, catching her sweet scent. "They only have reason to be proud of you," he assured her, "It's amazing that such good could have come of such cruelty, but here you are," he said soothingly, stroking her bushy hair soothingly.

Later that evening, Hermione's mum and dad arrived and she hugged them both fiercely, a big, though trembling smile on her face.

"So glad we can be together, Hermione," said her mother, Lesley. She peered at Hermione. "Your face...?" she began, hesitantly.

"I've gained new powers," said Hermione, smiling shakily and touching her green cheek.

"That's true," said Harry, "Hermione is one of a select few. Not only a witch, but one with superhuman gifts now."

"I always knew you were special," said Lesley, clearly not quite understanding what they were telling her, but willing to side with and be proud of her daughter none the less.

"I don't appreciate having to go into hiding of course," said Hermione's father, James Granger. "But it's great that we're all a family again. All this magic! It was slowly estranging you from us, but now we're a family unit again. Voldemort forced the three of us into hiding so we're all in the same boat. You're my daughter, not from a different world."

Harry watched Hermione closely, curious as to whether she would reveal all to them at this point. He watched in silence.

"There is something you both have the right to know," said Hermione, her voice trembling and tears coming to her chocolate brown eyes. "There is a reason for muggle-born witches and wizards, but the Ministry covered it up. We are, in fact, illegitimate children of wizards who rape muggle women and then erase their memories using magic." Hermione's voice broke off and she began to cry in earnest.

Lesley looked white and stricken. "I remember nothing of the kind..." she said in a hoarse voice.

"Hermione just said that wizard rapists take away the memories of the rape by magic," said Harry, hoping he could make it clearer.

Lesley instinctively threw her arms round Hermione, sobbing into her daughter's bosom. Harry thought he ought to speak up, and addressed James in a man to man sort of voice: "Mr Granger, you know what this means, but it wasn't Lesley's fault, she was the victim, as is Hermione in all of this."

Hermione turned bloodshot eyes to Harry, her expression anguished. James remained silent.

"Dear..." said Lesley, touching his arm, her expression even more anguished and horrified than her daughter's.

"I think we should retire for the night," said James tonelessly, his face carefully blank, taking Lesley by the arm. "This has all been a lot to take in."

Hermione collapsed into the chair and buried her face in her hands as James and Lesley left the library. Harry hugged her to him and she cuddled him close, soaking up succour and buried her face in his chest, looking for comfort. Harry hoped that over the days that followed, there would be time for Hermione's family to recover.

In the days that followed, Hermione was noticeably subdued. Clearly her father needed more time to himself to recover from the shock of realising that his daughter had in fact been conceived by a magical rapist. Lesley did meet with Harry and Hermione in the evenings, but they were having to wait until James was ready to reconcile with her.

* * *

As Harry and Hermione sat in the library studying hard one evening, there came the sound of an alarm bell knelling:

"The crisis alarm!" said Hermione. "There's an emergency assembly."

Harry and Hermione hurried to Beauxbaton's still grander version of the Great Hall from Hogwarts, itself ripped off from that of Cackles Academy from the Worst Witch series. The Beauxbatons hall was more magnificent than either of them. The Hogwarts Great Hall could easily have fitted inside it. There were dazzling crystal chandeliers and exquisite sculptures made of crystal that all served as decorations.

When the walked into the hall, Madame Maxime wore a grim expression as she stood in front of the assembled school and made her announcement:

"The British Ministry has fallen. The Death Eaters have imperiused many Ministry officials, including the Minister for Magic and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has declared himself openly as the ruling Dark Lord. He has sent me the following message:

'If you hand over Harry Potter without giving us trouble, I will tell my Death Eaters to grant you a painless death. Signed, The Dark Lord, Supreme Leader of the the British Isles.'"

Madame Maxime read this from a fragment of rigid vellum which had the Dark Mark emblazoned black on one side. The assembly hissed in disapproval.

Madame Maxime gestured to a crowd of Hogwarts students in a corner of the Hall:

"Here are students who have left Britain," she said. Harry recognised a few in his year, including Lavender Brown and Luna Lovegood. "We may have to expect an attack from the conquered British Ministry very soon..."

Hermione clutched his arm tightly at that moment. "There is a terrible evil approaching," she said, her voice agitated, a panicked expression on her green face.

Suddenly a chilling voice, magically amplified, boomed around them:

"**I have come! You all know my name, so I will not insult you by saying it. I'm ordering you now, hand over Potter and we will only destroy those of you who carry a racial taint. Kill your mongrel headmistress and hand over Potter and those of you who are racially pure will be spared. Then swear allegiance to Lord Voldemort and you will be rewarded.**"

There was dead silence for a moment and then panicked uproar. Harry gaped at Hermione who looked as shocked and terrified as he felt. Madame Maxime had to set off several fire crackers from the tip of her wand to restore silence. "Obey the teachers and your head boy and head girl!" she rumbled. "They will direct those of you too young to fight into our inner sanctum. The rest of you, if you wish it, you can assist in the defence of Beauxbatons. We must act quickly!"

Aurélie directed the prefects in leading the younger students into the highly fortified innermost recess of the palace of Beauxbatons and then began to organise the students who were capable of fighting. The four girls with hamadryad powers had the highest responsibilities. Aurélie herself was to lead the students who were to defend the main palace, whereas Pénélope was to lead those defending the East Wing and Hermione was to take Lucie and Harry with her and organise the defence of the West Wing.

Harry did not need Hermione's powers to see that Lucie was afraid.

"Never thought this day would come, I mean, I hoped this day would never come," she rambled as the three of them led a platoon of students along the corridor, her accent becoming heavier than ever due to her agitation. "I suppose the Dementors will attack. I can sense them approaching already. We must think happy thoughts. You make me happy Harry, you and Hermione are so romantic, running away from the Ministry and the Death Eaters together," she brushed her dark hair away from her face and swallowed, giving a nervous smile. "Do you know the song by Zaz, titled 'Ira'? It's very upbeat." She began to sing; "On ira écouter Harlem au coin de Manhattan..."

Hermione squeezed her hand in sympathy. Soon they arrived on the battlements. It was a clear night. The Moon shone brightly, a ghostly orb that outshone the tiny stars.

"OK everyone, this is where we pool our powers," said Hermione. "If you let Lucie and I join you together with psychic links for a short time, our ranks will be inpenetrable." She squeezed Harry's hand, giving him a reassuring smile and he immediately felt a bond form between their two minds. Hermione and Lucie went around clasping each student's hand and each time, Harry felt the presence of another mind joining them. They all stood ready, their minds as one. Suddenly there came the terrible sound of rattling breaths that Harry remembered all too well from his third year. The air was growing cold. Shadowy, wraith like shapes were swooping towards them.. A swarm of Dementors were approaching, ready to attack.

"_Now!_" came the thought from Hermione and they all concentrated on their happiest thoughts. Harry concentrated on Hermione's face and smiled. A silver light issued from each of their wands, coalescing to form a colossal patronus, the like of which Harry had never seen. It was like a giant, dazzlingly white dragon, but with three heads, each with blazing blue eyes. The heads all roared in unison and spewed blazing, silver fire on the Dementors.

Opening his eyes, Harry looked around cautiously. The air was warm again. The Dementors were gone. The Super-Patronus beat its great wings and soared around the palace, spewing its cleansing fires at the other swarms of Dementors that had been poised to attack the palace.

The students cheered. Lucie leapt up and down, punching the air and then twirled round in a victory dance. Her long hair was blown into her face so that only the tip of her shiny green nose was still visible. She pushed her hair out of her face and whooped. "Hermione, you genius!"

They sensed Aurélie's thought; "_It was a happy day when we recruited you, Hermione. The world is a better place without the Dementors_."

Voldemort's terrible voice cut through the night air:

"**You have destroyed the Dementors. But there will always be more of them as long as there are despair and decay. Now feel my wrath. It is over. Your bones will rot here.**"

Through the psychic link, they sensed what Hermione and Lucie could sense. Death Eaters on brooms and garden hoes, flying towards them. They steeled themselves for the coming attack. Their lives hung in the balance. The outcome of this battle would decide everything.


	7. Chapter 7

**Defence of the Mind  
**

"_Animate the gargoyles_!" came Hermione's telepathic command as she stood at the very front of the battlements, leading their defence. Her bushy brown hair billowing around her as the moon shone down with a ghostly light. She raised her wand and everyone else did so too, in perfect synchronisation. The defenders focused their wands on the stone gargoyles which came to life, flexing their stone wings and flew through the night to meet the Death Eaters head on. There were flashes of fire and light and the gargoyles were swiftly reduced to rubble, but not before the defenders had grouped themselves in ranks, in fluid synchronisation under Hermione's guidance.

_"First rank - stun! Drop back, kneel down and shield._

_Second rank - stun! Drop back, kneel down and shield._

_Third rank - stun! Drop back, kneel down and shield."_

Hermione issued these commands through their shared psychic link and the defenders of Beauxbatons worked in perfect synchronisation. Death Eaters dropped unconscious onto the ramparts and their fellows retreated from the west wing and hovered in the air at a distance.

"_We don't wish to have to hurt you, forsake your vile leader and we can have peace_," Hermione projected this thought to all the Death Eaters

"_They're uncertain! Oh I really hope we can win peacefully - with no casualities_," came Lucie's thought. She was standing near Harry, her bright green face very conspicuous in the line of students. Fear at both the prospects of being killed and having to be a party to killing others emanated from her. A gentle girl it seemed, Harry wondered for a moment how the battle was going to affect her. Of course the Death Eaters would not be able to opt for peace, even if they desired it; Voldemort was here, breathing down their necks...

And sure enough, the icy voice of Voldemort cut through the night air once again:

**"Why do you hesitate? Bear down on them and attack! Use lethal force, or feel the sting of my wrath yourselves!"**

The Death Eaters swooped towards them again, their wands flashing with bloody lights. As one the defenders threw up a psychic shield that acted as illusions, so that the sight of the Death Eaters was bedazzled and they could not aim their curses.

**"You allow their mutant tricks to make fools out of us?"** cried Voldemort, **"must I attend to everything myself?"**

Voldemort then shrieked a hideous sounding string of words and every one of the defenders felt a terrible pain grip them, as though their minds were being squeezed in a vice. They all fell to their knees, clutching their heads.

Voldemort's voice cut through the night air once again.

"**Go, my new recruit, you should be able to slip through whatever barrier they have thrown at us! Pay your respects to Potter**."

What could be the reason for his gloating tone, Harry wondered? And then, with an icy surge of dread that even Voldemort himself could not have inspired, Harry saw a young witch flying towards him on a broom, staring right at him as though the shield were not in place. Her red hair streamed out behind her - Ginny was coming for him again. Harry dropped his wand. Paralysed with fear, he could do nothing.

Ginny's voice sounded in his mind - presumably Voldemort had given her the power to enter his very thoughts: "You can never escape me, Harry. Didn't I warn you that we were bonded by your seed in me? Can't you guess what I carry inside me? I'm coming for you..."

But a small, soft hand slipped into Harry's and with surprising strength tugged his arm to make him sit up. The dreaded voice of Ginny faded away. Lucie had struggled to her feet and was trying to make him stand. Her dark hair fell across his eyes, but she brushed it away. "_I can keep her out of your mind Harry_," she said, but her eyes were wide with fear, their whites forming a striking contrast to the vivid green of her face. She winced and bit her dark green bottom lip, her eyes shining with tears. "_They're hurting me for trying to help... Hermione, save us_!"

Harry could hear Hermione's anguished cry as though it had been magically magnified. She must have exerted all her strength to beat back Voldemort's accursed onslaught. Harry peered towards the front of their ranks and could see Hermione with emerald fire erupting around her and bursting forth into the night. The circling figures on brooms retreated. Harry felt a terrible weariness overcome him and then he knew no more.

* * *

When Harry came to he was lying on a soft feather bed and Hermione was gazing down at him, her hair was thoroughly disshevelled and her chocolate brown eyes extremely bloodshot.

Harry sat up, attempting to push aside the duvet, but he was still weak. "The Death Eaters are attacking!" he tried to shout the words, but his voice was strangely croaky.

"Harry, the Death Eaters are not attacking," said Hermione. "It looked like they were going to overwhelm us, but then the eurosquad appeared - finally. Voldemort's attack on Beauxbatons was of course not condoned by the European Commission of Wizards, so the Death Eaters had to clear off back to their own realm when the enforcers showed up."

Hermione sighed, "The Death Eater's realm cannot be our home. Voldemort has renamed the British Isles and Ireland 'Mortvania.' Of course they still need most muggles - the magical economy had always subsisted parasitically on the muggle economy. But they're sentencing to death all those muggles who are dependent on government benefits, along with all non-human magical creatures."

Hermione's eyes were shining with tears. "I should be thankful that we had got out, along with my mum and dad, but it's so dire. I never thought I would see the end of Great Britain. And we'll have to worry about further Mortvanian aggression." Hermione brushed her bushy hair away from her green face and sniffed. Harry could tell something else was troubling her.

"Were there any casualties?" He asked, unable to keep the dread out of his voice.

Hermione nodded. "Madame Maxime," she whispered. "The Death Eaters targeted both you and Madame Maxime as a priority. Voldemort had killed Madame Maxime before attacking us. There's going to be a new head appointed."

* * *

They met with Hermione's mum and dad before the appointment ceremony of the new head was due to take place.

Harry was relieved on Hermione's account to see that James seemed to have accepted Hermione as a daughter again and seemed to be trying to make up for his earlier coldness. Really he ought never to have felt estranged from her, Hermione couldn't help whose sperm had made her and her well being should take priority! Still, Harry supposed he ought not to judge him, never having been in that sort of situation.

"It came as a shock at first, but I realised that you are my daughter and nothing can change that," he assured Hermione as they prepared for the ceremony, "and you made us proud, fighting so bravely. That horrible Voldemort couldn't get the better of my girl."

"Yes daddy, of course I am your girl," said Hermione, sniffling a little and hugging him quickly. "And we are going to be a family together here."

Hermione was still getting ready. She had put on a lipstick of a deep plum hue, and now she began to apply a plum coloured blush to her green cheeks. "The other metahuman girls recommend this makeup," she said, "mum, does it look alright? I haven't applied too much, have I?"

"No dear, that's just right," said Lesley, "but you must take good care of your new face. I can only suggest taking the head girl's advice."

"We'd better be quick," said James and Harry, who never cared much for tidiness, nodded.

"We will at least get to know who the head is going to be," said Harry, "I really hope they have a good defence strategy in place."

Harry was at that moment thinking of Ginny and the dread she inspired. If she ever came back, he wondered whether even Hermione could defend him.


	8. Chapter 8

**Temptation Calls**

As it happened, the new head of Beauxbatons had already been appointed and at that moment, was interviewing the fugitive, Albus Dumbledore.

But Dumbledore had not sought an audience with Harry. He had sought an audience with the new headmistress who now sat before him in her office. One Heidi Roth, an old girl from Beauxbatons who had in the dim and distant past, been sent from abroad by her parents to study at the prestigious academy. Dumbledore's intellectual curiosity was aroused as he gazed upon her. She still looked quite young, but he could sense that she was not as youthful as her form and figure indicated. She had finely sculpted features, clearly defined cheekbones and long auburn hair that reached her waist, but the startling thing about her was that face of hers. Bright, vivid green, smooth and shiny – Dumbledore knew that the green skin of her face was in fact the flesh of an actual living entity, a magical creature in its own right, that had bonded with her in perfect symbiosis. Dumbledore knew full well that this symbiosis granted the new head powers that she could never have acquired if she had remained pure human. The rumours were that only the select few were ever chosen by supernatural beings who conferred this favour on them. Dumbledore knew that a favour as great as this one did of course come with a price. Heidi would never have a human face again. Dumbledore was exceptionally well read and he had already learned from his research that Heidi could no more remove the symbiote than he himself could remove the outer layers of flesh from his own skull and survive… not a pretty thought. And yet he envied Heidi the magic power that she had which even such a distinguished and learned wizard such as himself could never know.

She could tell what he was thinking - her dark green lips twitched as though she were going to smile as he attempted to probe her mind with his legilimency skills by gazing right into her bright, emerald eyes and attempting to project his consciousness forth into hers – but it wasn't working. No pure human witch could be that good an occlumens. Her non-human powers were clearly at work. Dumbledore gave up the attempt and smiled benignly at her – he was well practiced in dealing with folk from all walks of life. When he had had difficulties, the imprints of former heads of Hogwarts left behind in the form of portraits in his old office had always been there to give him advice during the decades he had still been headmaster of Hogwarts and he had never been too proud to learn new skills. Knowledge was what he craved above all things. As headmaster he had had access to so much – and now his rightful place was denied to him by a corrupt government, presided over by a terrible tyrant…

"Yet I can understand your disappointment Dumbledore, but what really saddens me is what has become of Britain," said Heidi softly.

Dumbledore almost gave a little start. How could she have guessed his thoughts? He was too accomplished an occlumens for legilimency to work on him…

"You were too polite to comment on my face, but your mind is like an orb of clear crystal to me," said Heidi. "My metahuman powers are highly developed. Don't feel bad. Just think how it feels to be on the receiving end one time, hmm?"

What could Dumbledore do, but practice his kindly grandfather act?

He spread his arms wide as though he would embrace the room; "my dear girl, congratulations on your appointment, there can have been no worthier choice."

Heidi smiled still more broadly and pushed a strand of her auburn hair away from her face.

"The matter of which I must speak is one of the gravest importance," said Dumbledore. "It pertains to a lad who is now in your charge, but was once a charge of mine – the jolliest Gryffindor lad that ever there was. The despicable Lord Voldemort has seized control of Britain and is more of a threat than ever. His mad vendetta against Harry is well known. I put it to you headmistress, that there is no one better qualified to take charge of the Boy Who Lived than I, the greatest genius the world has ever known."

Heidi frowned slightly. "Very eloquent, Professor Dumbledore," she said, "but I must speak of my concerns. Harry has been having counselling sessions since he arrived here. I understand that part of his unhappiness stems from the fact that his relatives were cruel to him, made him live in a cupboard and neglected him-"

"In short, Harry feels no attachment to the non-magical world," said Dumbledore seriously. Surely someone as perceptive as Heidi could see that this was for the Greater Good? "We lose too many of our muggle born and muggle raised to the muggle world. Our little world is often too narrow for them and the muggles have invented pass times and leisure pursuits that we cannot offer. Then there is the fact that they have family and friends who are muggles. As Harry feels no attachment to his muggle relatives, he will have no desire to return to their world."

"Mm? You think that this was just then?" said Heidi, a note of warning in her voice. She had widened her eyes at him. Dumbledore did not need legilmency to tell him that he should choose his word carefully.

"My dear girl, Harry is an essential pawn in the struggle against Voldemort and we cannot lose him to the muggle world," he began.

"You have no authority to treat my students as chess pieces professor," said Heidi, busying herself with the reams of parchment on her desk, "consider this meeting adjourned."

* * *

Later Harry and Hermione sat in the Great Hall at Beauxbatons as Heidi delivered her speech of introduction.

She wore sweeping robes of sky blue and her auburn hair hung loose about her, glinting in the sunlight. But what was more striking about her was her bright green face, just like Hermione's. It made sense he supposed. Hermione's inhuman powers had enabled them to form a tight fist of resistance against Voldemort. Madame Maxime, by virtue of what she had been, was not limited by human restrictions, but she had still been no match for Voldemort. This new head should be able to lead them better during these troubled times.

The headmistress beamed at them, the sunlight streamed through the high windows and glinted off her auburn hair and shone off her green nose and cheeks. She began her speech, introducing herself as Heidi Roth. Harry smiled at the way she pronounced French words with her German accent.

"So, you dears," she said, addressing them all, "these are troubled times – a leader of great cruelty and ill will has forcibly taken over one of our neighbouring states and turned it into Mortvania. I must warn you all that Voldemort's proven ability to create disharmony is a serious threat – we must fight it by showing loving kindness to one another and to our poor neighbours who are under his heel, at all times..." Harry was reminded of Dumbledore's words at Hogwarts months previously. Well they were both right. Voldemort had caused a great rift in the magical community as soon as he was resurrected. Those who followed the Ministry and those who followed Dumbledore had been friends until he came back. And then look what happened. In all the chaos, Voldemort had taken control and their worst fears had become reality.

The headmistress requested an audience with Harry and Hermione afterwards.

Harry was impressed with the head's office here at Beauxbatons – even more elegant, if possible than Dumbledore's old office had been, a beautiful circular room the prevailing colours sapphire blues with a shimmering crystal chandelier overhead and the walls lined with book cases filled with leather bound tomes.

"You dears," Heidi addressed them, "I wanted to introduce myself to you both personally. Know this also – I am here if you should ever need help. Hermione, you know how to contact me in thought at any time. I must of course warn you that the Death Eaters may strike again at any time. You are under my protection now Harry and I take this seriously. You must obey me."

She fixed him with those brilliant, green eyes of hers. Embarrassing though it was, Harry had yet to overcome his issues around pretty witches who resembled his mother. Even though Heidi's face was bright green, Harry could see the similarities to Lily, just as he had when he first saw Penelope. He wanted to reply in a way befitting a Gryffindor, that he was brave enough to deal with the situation and could probably make a fool of Voldemort yet again, but his words caught in his throat and he blurted out; "yes mum."

Heidi's green eyes became bright with tears and Harry inwardly cursed himself for being such an idiot. Hermione gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. "I know you've been hurt, dear Harry," said Heidi, "those of us who were changed so as to have more than human powers must help with the problems in this world. Dear Hermione, this is your responsibility too, maybe an eternal responsibility."

"Eternal," said Hermione aloud, so that Harry could hear. She peered intently into the headmistress's eyes.

"I cannot die from a curse like poor Madame Maxime," said Heidi steadily. She touched her green cheek. "This part of me has grown in power and will not let my body die easily. I can show you..."

The headmistress took out a photograph of herself - but no ordinary photograph. This one showed her with her arm broken off and robes torn, leaving just a bloody stump which spurted ruby blood onto her snowy white skin. In the photo Heidi was gritting her teeth, her green face showing an expression of great pain. Harry felt rather sick, having to see her like that. He himself had once lost the bones in his arm for a short time, but there had been no blood... Hermione's eyes widened in shock as she looked at the moving images. There was a severed arm moving on the ground, the fingers flexing and then it dragged itself along towards Heidi and leapt up, pressing its severed end againt the bleeding stump of her arm. And then the broken ends of the limb began to knit back together, the bleeding stopping.

"There's no telling what might happen Hermione, but I believe my body and I will be together a long time," said Heidi solemnly. "This is a power that has grown in me over decades."

"I would really like to know more about this," said Hermione, rubbing her green cheek. Harry thought she looked troubled.

"I will be glad to teach you more," said the headmistress. "We should make arrangements after class."

* * *

Three of the other Gryffindor girls from Harry's year, Lavender Brown, Carly and Shirley had taken refuge at Beauxbatons after Voldemort's victory in Britain. At Beauxbatons, the three of them were sharing a dormitory with Melissa, formerly a Hufflepuff girl from their year. Melissa was a quiet girl, with long red hair. It was known that she was related to the Weasleys.

The four were making their way to the first class of the day.

"How are you liking Beauxbatons, Melissa?" asked Shirley with a sneer. "More exciting than life in the Hufflepuff Sett?" She dug Melissa in the ribs. Melissa's brown eyes watered and she rubbed the spot where Shirley had poked her.

"Behave yourself Shirley," said Carly sternly as Lavender Brown giggled.

Shirley tossed back her long black hair in her best supercillious manner. "I was just worried that us Gryffindor girls might be rougher than the company she kept at Hogwarts. Are you very rough Carly?"

At that moment, Harry and Hermione came into view at the other end of the corridor. "Hermione has a totally new look. It certainly improves that drab countenance of hers," muttered Shirley as Lavender and Carly peered curiously at Hermione's face.

"Hi Lavender," said Hermione as she walked up, arm in arm with Harry. "Hi Carly," she relinquished Harry's arm to give Carly a quick hug. "Hi Shirley," she added, a touch of coolness in her voice this time.

"You look very green and glowing Hermione," said Shirley, her expression bland.

"Hermione has new, special powers," said Harry, "but then she was always the most brilliant witch at Hogwarts."

"The colour green is attractive Harry?" said Shirley, raising her eyebrows.

"Oh shut up Shirley," said Carly. "It's great to see you both again, we should all have tea or something together."

"But Melissa would be a badger out of her Sett," said Shirley in mock solemnity.

"You'd be welcome among us to, Melissa," said Hermione, smiling at the red headed Hufflepuff.

The group of ex-Hogwarts students made their way along the corridors, but suddenly Harry and Hermione both found themselves walking down a corridor festooned with purple drapes."What happened? Where did the others go? Why are we suddenly here? It's some sort of magic being worked on us, isn't it?" said Harry.

"It is, this corridor was never here before," said Hermione, frowning. "And I can't sense anything outside it…"

At that moment, Harry's heart leapt, for there had appeared the one he had so long wanted to see – Albus Dumbledore.

"Harry, Hermione, how wonderful to see you both again," said Dumbledore jovially, his blue eyes twinkling just as Harry remembered. Harry wanted to ask why the old wizard had seemed to shun him that year, right up until the moment Umbridge had forced him to leave Hogwarts. Harry looked up to Dumbledore as something almost like a kindly grandfather figure. This year he had tortured himself over wondering why Dumbledore was so cold to him.

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "Why don't we follow that flighty temptress, adventure?"


	9. Chapter 9

**Only Freud Knows the Cure**

_**Author's Note:** This chapter has been entirely rewritten. Thanks to anotherboarduser for the plot suggestions. Heidi is like my old German teacher personality wise, and she was a good one; we all enjoyed our time with her and were gloomy if she wasn't there and had to be covered by a substitute._

"Huch!" came a sudden exclamation. Heidi came sweeping down the corridor, so fast she seemed to glide, her silken blue robes rustling and her long red hair streaming behind her. Harry, with his amazing vision that allowed him to focus on a snitch from a great distance (why on Earth did he wear glasses?) could see she looked really, really angry, the intensity of her glare unnerved him. He wouldn't have wanted her green eyes fixed on him with that expression. She was glaring at Dumbledore.

"Headmistress?" said Dumbledore, raising his eyebrows.

"Jaa!" hissed Heidi, sounding unsettlingly like a hissing cat.

She turned to Harry and Hermione, her expression softening in an instant. Now she looked worried.

"Ihr Lieben… you dears," she managed, seeming to regain composure, "are you alright?"

Hermione was staring at her dumbfounded. Harry was puzzled. "Why wouldn't we be alright, headmistress?" he said cautiously, "Dumbledore's just come back. The stupid Ministry drove him underground before Voldemort took over, but with his help we might still be able to turn this thing around."

"Darling, there's something you don't understand," said Heidi, her voice soft again, looking at him once more with tears in her eyes. This new headmistress seemed rather moody to Harry, even for a lady…

Heidi rounded on Dumbledore; "tell them Dumbledore?" she suggested, her dark green lip curling, her voice seeming to snarl, "were you going to suggest the three of you leave and go into that monster's stronghold, using Harry as an expendable _pawn_?"

Hermione clapped her hands to her mouth and made a strangled, squeaky sound.

"Headmistress, you can't talk to Dumbledore like that, he's the greatest wizard in the world," protested Harry.

"No, she's right Harry," said Hermione, "I can sense thoughts and she's exposing Professor Dumbledore's thoughts too."

Heidi's eyes met Hermione's and their green faces showed a look of shared understanding that Harry could have no part in. Hermione looked shocked and began to tremble and Heidi smiled sadly.

"Hermione…" said Harry slowly, "is this the reason Dumbledore has been avoiding me until now? Is it something embarrassing?"

"Dumbledore thinks you are expendable in the war against Voldemort, Harry," said Hermione, her voice rising, she turned on Dumbledore, her bushy hair whipping around her and screamed; "WELL I DON'T!"

"Hermione, are you capslocking?" asked Harry in wonder. He had considered that only he had enough angst, but there it was – Hermione's fists were clenched, her eyes wild and she was breathing heavily through her nose. If her face had still been human flesh, she would, no doubt have turned white with fury.

Harry turned to Dumbledore, who remained impassive; "I know we are all expendable in the war against Voldemort," he began, but Hermione gripped Harry by the shoulders, her breathing ragged, tears coursing down her green cheeks. Dumbledore moved towards them, but Heidi interposed herself between them. Probably to give him an angry piece of her mind through psychic communication.

Harry looked into his best friend's face – despite her altered appearance, he could read her expression as well as ever he could and she was really upset. "How can you say that-?" she demanded, "How do you think I would - ? what would I do without you-?" she demanded, barely coherent anymore, "can't you see I love – I love..."

Harry was never a Joe Soap character who would masterfully comfort the ladies. He patted her on the back as she collapsed against him, her tears soaking his robes. "He's a funny man, Dumbledore," said Harry. "Remember that he thinks I have the right to face Voldemort if I can, but there's nothing wrong with that."

"How can you be so thick?" said Hermione, her voice muffled as she pressed her face against Harry's chest.

Heidi put her arms around both of them, her long red hair obscuring Harry's vision for the moment. Harry supposed witches liked group hugs.

"You dears… it's alright, I won't let anything happen to you. Dear Hermione, it's great that you can share your feelings," she said.

"Hey, where's Dumbledore?" said Harry.

"Professor Dumbledore had to leave," said Heidi, "he may think he has the right to organise people's lives for them and treat you as a pawn, but he doesn't, even though he's had many decades of life experience. I myself have been fused with a psychic magical being for all except the first ten years of my life and I would still not be so presumptuous. Come, we're going to miss my class."

* * *

Unlike Dumbledore, it seemed that Heidi liked to teach classes so as to keep in touch with what was going on amongst the students and ordinary teachers. Dumbledore had set himself apart from Hogwarts in his own tower and only put in an appearance occasionally at meals.

Hermione was still upset and agitated and Harry put an arm around her shoulder as they sat together in the front row.

It seemed that Heidi was going to try and teach them all German – Harry and Hermione had to start in the beginner's class. At Hogwarts Harry had seen a fairly mixed bag of teachers – the abysmal Umbridge, the useless Binns and Trelawney, Snape who obviously had no pedagogical skills, Flitwick and Sprout who were decent, McGonagall who was strict and efficient…

Heidi was a surprisingly engaging teacher. She seemed so enthusiastic about the task of prompting them to say the hard consonants of her language correctly, smiling and upbeat the entire time. Harry wondered how the exercise would have seemed with any other teacher. When he successfully said "ich" the way it is pronounced everywhere except Berlin she beamed in a way that seemed to light up the room and gave him special words of praise.

Eventually the subject of grammar cropped up; "grammar next, yay!" said Heidi and rubbed her hands together raising a ripple of laughter amongst the class.

Harry noticed that alone amongst the class, Hermione seemed very preoccupied. She began to sniffle again, so Harry squeezed her hand. What had Hermione been going to say, when she was stammering "I love – I love – " ? Harry had never been a great communicator. The previous winter he had refused to speak to anyone when he had got it into his head that Voldemort was possessing him and Hermione had had to really pressure him to open up and say what was on his mind. Left to his own devices he would have just stewed in his own dark fancies and come to his own weird conclusions.

Harry's thoughts were distracted as he gazed at Heidi who was patiently explaining, yet again, the simple concept of dative and accusative in a sentence to very obtuse boy who couldn't do the rudimentary exercise they had been set. Ever since Harry had seen the terrible mirror of Erised, he had pined to be back with his mother – what would Freud have made of it? As he looked on Heidi now he wondered what it would be like to love a witch. At Hogwarts he had usually just thought about other boys, take the time of the Yule Ball, he only just started to reflect on the fact that the castle was full of girls because he had to ask one to be his dance partner. But he thought about Ron, Cedric, Malfoy and Krum etc. quite a lot. Now however, he knew that Hermione was very dear to him and she was a witch. Some bonds just transcended gender. Whoever tried to stereotype him was a fool. And now there was Heidi – the warm sunshine lit up her fine profile – having a green face actually suited her and her hair with its russet fire was as glorious as his mother's… could it be as good as seeing his mother again… Could it be that he fancied the teacher?

Heidi was psychic, of course and so was Hermione. When he had this thought, Hermione gave a start and across the room, Heidi jumped and turned to look at him, her eyes wide and startled for a moment. She swallowed and hastily went back to explaining grammar to the dunce.

"Harry," said Hermione, her tone beginning to sound anguished again.

What was his best friend trying to tell him?


	10. Chapter 10

**New Revealations**

After class, the headmistress thought it important to talk with Harry right away. Hermione came to her office as well, still sniffling occasionally, her eyes bloodshot.

"Cheer up, Hermione," Harry encouraged, "at least we're not in trouble. Besides, I think I want to see a lot more of our new head..."

Hermione hiccoughed and wiped her shiny green nose on her pink handkerchief. "Oh Harry," she said thickly, "I'm sorry that what we're going to have to make you understand will upset you, but you have to get it."

Harry sat directly across the desk from Heidi, looking full at her. He felt himself melt inside; here was the image of his mother as she should have been; powerful and unconquerable, able to take care of him – too strong for Voldemort to kill. She had even forced Dumbledore himself to back off. What did Harry care for the plot dumping old coot one way or another if his desperate desire that had started when he saw the Mirror of Erised was going to be granted to him? He had desperately wanted his mum back for four and a half years. Heidi's face was slightly longer than Lily's and she had a little cleft in her chin, but her features were just as symmetrical, the shape of her nose and cheekbones just as perfect and her overall beauty just as striking. The skin of her face may have been green, but at this moment, that only enhanced her in Harry's eyes and he had to fight down a wild impulse to kiss her.

"Harry – tell me about your feelings, my sweet," said Heidi softly, still gazing at him.

"Just a moment-" began Hermione.

Heidi raised a hand; "sorry Hermione, you must let Harry speak."

Harry thought. How could he express it without weirding her out? Didn't she already know what his feelings were? She was psychic, after all.

"Hermione and I could both tell you," he began, awkwardly, "back at Hogwarts when we were playing a Quidditch match against Slytherin, I won the match as usual and Malfoy tried to taunt me about why I used to visit the Weasleys. I wouldn't have cared if he had only babbled that my mum was "stinky," that is honestly the sort of taunt you would expect from a two year old – no, what really got to me was the fact that I went to the Weasleys, because deep down, I desperately wanted my mum back. Somehow I must have guessed that they were related to her. In a really weird alternate universe, I might have actually started to be attracted to the horrible Ginny, because she is certainly pretty and red headed, and is related to me..."

Hermione had put her hands to her mouth, her eyes wide.

"Go on, my dear," said Heidi, still gazing into his eyes. He felt the intensity of her gaze enter him like twin sun beams.

"Living with the Dursleys, no one ever loved me," said Harry bitterly, "then during my first Christmas at Hogwarts, Dumbledore let me see the Mirror of Erised, which showed me surrounded by my lost family, the Dursleys excluded from the picture. That almost killed me. I kept wanting to be in my mum's arms, where it must be safe and warm, isn't the womb supposed to be the safest and warmest place? Maybe back in her womb again as much as is possible would be best for me."

Hermione sobbed audibly and Harry still held Heidi's gaze. "I – I think you must be like my mum," he said in a rush. It was almost a relief to confess it, getting a great weight off his chest. "I really want to take you in my arms and kiss you."

He could hear Hermione gasp, but Heidi beamed.

"There Hermione, is it not wonderful that Harry trusts us enough to share all that with us? It gladdens me when a student is ready to confide so much."

"Headmistress, you do understand…?" said Hermione, tentatively.

"Of course I do, but that Harry can express it is the first step towards healing," said Heidi, "well done, dear Harry, well done indeed."

"You seemed to get rid of Dumbledore alright, so you are more than capable of getting rid of Voldemort," said Harry, still admiring Heidi's fine features and the glint and shine of her auburn hair, "any baby of yours is perfectly safe."

"Ach! Dear Harry I must tell you that Dumbledore and Voldemort seem much like "variations on a theme" as you English say? That's an English phrase I like," said Heidi, shaking her head so that her long red hair rippled and bounced. "It is appalling that he sent you to live with those Roald Dahl grotesques. Not only was there no need, but he had a dark intention, that I must tell you."

Harry glanced at Hermione who nodded, her eyes still bright with her tears.

"Voldemort performed terrible magic on himself," said Heidi, her tone becoming grave again. "He split his spirit – his soul into pieces and stored these fragments in various magical artefacts."

"So that's how the old horror keeps coming back!" said Harry, "I should have guessed it would be something like that."

Heidi nodded, "it's like this concept of a liche from Dungeons and Dragons, except that instead of storing his soul in one object, Voldemort has split his into many pieces and put each into a different item."

"Sounds like he made the Dungeons and Dragons concept worse and scarier," said Harry.

"My dear, it is worse than you think," said Heidi, "this will come as a shock."

"Wow, I wonder what it would be like to be shocked for a change," said Harry.

Heidi laughed nervously. "British humour is irrepressible," she admitted, "but you will not like what I say…" she took a deep breath, "when the horror attacked you he accidentally left a shard of his spirit in you, in your scar."

"WHAT!" exclaimed Harry, jumping up and glancing wildly around the office. The room seemed to spin. He turned to Hermione.

"It's true Harry," she said in a very small voice, "that's how you can speak Parseltongue, but your mum's protection has kept the piece of Voldemort contained in your scar."

Harry felt himself falling and suddenly both witches had their arms around him. Their green faces filled his vision and when he came to he was sitting on a soft, velvet couch and the other end of the office, Hermione's arms around him and Heidi's green face peering into his, her red hair spilling onto his chest, her expression very anxious. "You are going to be alright, dear," she said, "you are resilient, you can take bad news. We may be able to cure you."

"Why didn't Dumbledore say anything?" muttered Harry, resentment bubbling up inside him.

"Dumbledore is an old liar," said Hermione, angrily. "It all comes down to his nonsense about the Greater Good. Don't you see, Harry? He got it into his head that you had to die, because of the stupid Horcrux. I will never forgive him for even thinking that. As far as I am concerned, he is an enemy, like Voldemort is."

"You see? Hermione is staunch as a rock," said Heidi, saying that words in English. It must have been another turn of phrase she liked the sound of. "We are both looking after you now."

"Exactly what I needed to hear" said Harry.

Harry was lucky to have Hermione as a best friend, he had always known it. But his neurosis about the issue of his mother was not yet resolved. Looking into Heidi's green eyes he felt contentment fill him.


	11. Chapter 11

**A Pivotal Time  
**

Monsieur Charpentier was the Potion Master who tutored the set at Harry and Hermione's level. The new headmistress, Frau Roth had already implemented certain changes to the curriculum at Beauxbatons. He was not surprised that she had made German compulsory, but now she interviewed him personally to tell him of an addition she intended to make to the potions his syllabus covered and this did come as a surprise. She interviewed him in her office to make the suggestion.

"A Panacea headmistress?" he replied, somewhat surprised, "I preferred to restrict my syllabus to the intermediate level potions."

The headmistress smiled at him, her smile was certainly the sort to light up a room. Naturally he couldn't help noticing that while her face was bright green, she was extremely pretty with a fantastic figure and fine features.

"My dear Henri, I must recommend the Panacea, it is useful in so many contexts and I am certain we may have need of it soon. You are a fine Potioneer and have taught so well these twenty years, that's why I trust you to do it," she laid a dainty hand on his arm.

"Well yes, I could do it, that is certain," he agreed, pleased that she could see his value to his profession.

When it came to their next potion's session, Harry and Hermione worked together as usual. The potion session did not take place in a dungeon, but in a bright and airy laboratory on the first floor of the palace.

"The Panacea? That is advanced," said Hermione, rubbing her green cheek as she contemplated their instructions.

"I wish I had a book of short cuts and cheats," said Harry, "even without Snape breathing down my neck, I don't think I could do this one."

"Oh Harry, as if you would cheat," said Hermione laughing. They say love is blind. She scoured the instructions again, "I have been researching the uses for a Panacea and it is in essence a heal all that can cure most illnesses quickly and also break dark magic curses."

"We could do with a stack of these things," said Harry.

Hermione carefully measured out three drops of fireflower juice, using a pipette.

"Too bad muggles can't adapt this formula," said Harry. "It seems like one of the most useful potions there is."

"Sadly muggles and squibs don't have innate magic, so if they tried to brew a potion they would just make a toxic mess," said Hermione. Their cauldron was soon billowing silvery steam. "It certainly causes a lot of moisture," said Hermione, touching her bushy hair in which droplets from the potion's vapour had condensed, "I wonder exactly why they suddenly added it to the syllabus."

"Oh, if it's the headmistresses' idea then it'll be for the best," said Harry confidently, "do you think there's any way I could spend more time with her? Perhaps if I volunteered to be her secretary?"

Hermione was giving him a strange look with those sincere chocolate brown eyes of hers. Was it pity? Well undoubtedly his interest in Heidi may sound messed up when put into words, but at the moment, it seemed too strong for him to do anything about.

"Oh là là!" Monsieur Charpentier exclaimed in delight. He came over to their cauldron. "Miss Granger's done it again! One of the finest Panacea's I've ever seen."

* * *

Many Gryffindors had attempted to flee Mortvania, leaving Hogwarts behind when Voldemort took over. They had settled abroad and could all be accounted for, all except one. Ginny Weasley. She had left Hogwarts too, but they say it was because she dedicated herself to the dark side, body and soul and left Hogwarts so that she could learn the dark arts from Voldemort himself. There were some who said that he taught them as she sat on his lap.

Voldemort's inner circle knew that Voldemort didn't really have a deputy. A deputy is after all, someone who takes over when a leader dies and Voldemort would never die. No, he didn't have a second in command, rather, he had a handful of favourites who could change or fall out of favour. It was rumoured that he now had a new special favourite. Ginny Weasley who was known to have impressed him by hurting the Boy Who Lived in ways that her master never could. It was even rumoured that he had given her the gift of his ancestral home.

These rumours were not known to all muggles though. In Little Hangleton, the local economy had always been sluggish and now that all the muggles who couldn't work had been deported to the magically enlarged islands in the north sea (Azkaban was just one such island) those that remained were determined to avoid this fate at all costs.

A quartet of muggle lads who had lost their jobs as farm hands, were concerned about their prospects. With no useful occupation, they might well be considered expendable as well.

"I'm telling you, we've got to hide," said Eddie, their self-appointed leader, "the Doom Troopers will be on to us any day now."

The Doom Troopers were, in a way, the lowest ranking Death Eaters. The Death Eaters were very few in number and could not possibly hope to police Mortvania by themselves, so they had to resort to recruiting a new type of disciple to Voldemort – simply put, any muggle who could be diagnosed as having some magical ancestry (usually in the distant past) and who was ready to swear an oath of loyalty to the Supreme Leader. They did the dirty work of policing for the Death Eaters. They were men, insecure about their heritage, so all the more determined and ruthless and ready to crack the skull of an inferior muggle.

"I wonder what you think can be done Eddie, yes I do," said Doug, another of the four.

"I tell you what, we can hide in that mansion away outside the village, no one ever goes there," said Eddie, "and they're scared of the rumour about some gardener going missing – like that matters."

"Steady on," said Kirk, large, but mild mannered, he never had a bad word to say about anyone, "it's sad if a poor old man goes missing, it's just that we have so many problems nowadays…"

"Kirk, don't think OK?" said Eddie tersely, "we'll put up camp in the mansion, no one uses it any more. They still call it the Riddle House, but the Riddles are supposed to have been dead for decades."

"It's worth a try," said Lloyd, the fourth. "What could possibly go wrong?"

* * *

The four of them approached the Riddle House under cover of darkness. The rusty gates appeared to be locked at first, but as they approached, the gate swung open.

The drive was deserted, the front lawns still well kept. Eddie took the lead and to his surprise, found the large, oaken front doors unlocked.

"Well, that's simple," he said as they all trooped into the entrance hall.

The entrance hall was dark and decorated with oak panelling and a large oaken staircase led up to the floors above.

"Big place," said Eddie.

"I wonder if the Riddles are still here?" said Kirk, "hey Riddles! How are you? We mean no harm." The words echoed strangely around the entrance hall "harm … harm … harm…"

"Idiot! They're dead and don't yell," said Eddie.

"Look at the walls," said Lloyd. The dark oak panelling seemed to have a wet stain on it. A dark red viscous liquid seemed to ooze down the wall.

"Tomato ketchup!" said Kirk.

"Erm, I do believe that's blood, yes it is," said Doug.

"Rubbish, that's a prank of some half-baked sort," said Eddie. But then a cold sense of dread overtook them all, the air became very cold and a chill wind seemed to blow through the entrance hall.

"Hey!" exclaimed Eddie. There was now a girl standing on the staircase, glaring down at them. She was a strikingly pretty girl, with a bold, freckled face, long, fiery red hair and a slender, athletic figure. She was wearing what appeared to be something like a long, black wedding dress. She came gliding down the stairs.

"Oh hello, you live here? How nice to see you!" Bellowed Kirk, waving at her.

"Yes, I live here," said the girl coolly. "The question is, what are you doing here?"

Eddie sneered and pulled out a revolver, "don't mess with me, bitch! You are going to do exactly as you're told, without giving trouble."

"Put that away, someone could get hurt," cried Kirk.

"Eddie…" cautioned Lloyd.

The girl gave a small smile and whispered something. She seemed to be clutching an object hidden under her dress. Doug felt a strange notion enter his mind.

"I should watch over her with the gun, yes I should," he said, "and then you three should check out the rest of the house."

"Alright," said Eddie, coolly. "Don't mess it up Doug."

They left Doug with the revolver and left to explore the house, Eddie going up the stairs, Kirk to the kitchen and Lloyd to the cellar. Left alone with Doug, the girl fluttered her eye lashes and blew kisses at him. Her lips and nails were painted the same, bright red. She glided closer to Doug, staring right into his eyes.

"Hello, I'm Doug, yes I am," he said, shifting uncomfortably on his feet.

"I'm Ginny," whispered the girl, huskily. She glided closer and then smiled. Doug looked at her freckled face, her firm breasts and fiery hair. He had rarely been so close to someone so attractive. "This place need a lot of up keep? Yes it does." He stammered.

Ginny smiled and took out a stick from the folds of her dress, "your gun is so impressive," she whispered, "not that you need it." Suddenly she leaned forward and sucked on the barrel of the gun. Doug stared astonished. Ginny, her cheeks bulging, held out her hand and spat the bullets from her mouth onto her palm and then discarded them.

"Kiss me Dougie, you know you want to," she breathed and then flung her arms around him, locking her lips onto his. He found himself kissing her back, just as passionately. His manhood rose at the feel of her closeness and her firm breasts mashed against his chest. He did not even notice as she lifted her wand and drove it into his ear.

* * *

In the kitchen parlour, Kirk heard a horrible yell. He gave a little start and turned to see Ginny right behind him.

"Did you hear that?" he asked, gaping at her.

"It's just the TV," Ginny assured him, smiling, "did you want some cake?"

"Uh, OK, that's kind of you," said Kirk, "does it have cherries in?"

Ginny smiled him, "I hope you're hungry," she said, gliding towards the kitchen, her fiery hair streaming out behind her as if blown by an invisible breeze.

The kitchen was very dingy, with black and white flag stones. In the kitchen was a wooden table upon which there stood what looked like a three tier wedding cake. On top of the cake stood two small figures, one tall and shadowy and swathed in black, hooded robes. The other was a girl in a black wedding dress with long red hair. Who was that hooded figure? Kirk was not usually quick on the uptake, but he knew of the Supreme Leader…

"I hope you're hungry!" said Ginny, brightly, taking out a huge knife.

"Um, I think I'd better be going," he said, backing away.

"Don't be silly," cried Ginny, "it's Death Eater food." Then, moving with astonishing speed, she brandished the knife and sliced through Kirk's throat. Ruby blood spurted everywhere. She smiled and licked some off her finger.

* * *

Lloyd explored the cellar, chancing upon the old wine cellar, which contained bottles that would probably have been worth a fortune to the right collector. He picked up a strangely shaped triangular bottle which appeared to contain a thick, red liquid and yet was strangely warm. Hmm. He decided to take a bottle of vodka with him. He pushed through a pair of double doors in the back of the cellar and to his surprise, entered a gleaming, sterile operating theatre. And there was Ginny, covered in blood, brandishing a wand and a scalpel. "The doctor is here now!" she cried. She pointed her wand at Lloyd and he felt his arms and legs snap together and his body become as rigid as a board. With a rising sense of helplessness, he felt himself float into their air and onto the operating theatre table.

* * *

After searching upstairs and finding nothing, Eddie came storming down the stairs in a temper. He found Doug lying on the floor in the entrance hall with a strang snake mask over his head. "What are you doing?" snapped Eddie, kicking him.

Doug stirred and then sat up. "Damned if I know, perhaps the Devil made me do it?" he said. But it wasn't Doug's voice. It was deep and booming and the eyes of the "mask" glowed a fiery orange…

Eddie staggered back, but into the entrance hall from the other doors came staggering the bodies of Kirk and Lloyd, heads removed and replaced with the heads of giant serpents. Ginny came gliding into the entrance hall.

"I should tell you, I'm recruiting for my army for my campaign against Beauxbatons," she gloated. "You can be a recruit too – or I can simply conscript you?"


	12. Chapter 12

**Where Dreams and Nightmares Mingle**

"Hermione, can you please check this over, I want to make sure it's perfect," said Harry to Hermione in their dormitory.

Hermione noted how much effort Harry put into assignments the headmistress set them. Normally she had to encourage him to work in the face of his protests – "there'll be time later! … Couldn't you just do it for me?..."

Harry picked up the previous assignment of his which Heidi had marked. Hermione had taught Harry basic French using her psychic powers and Heidi was psychically much more powerful and had taught all the students basic German in a surprisingly short time, already setting them written assignments. Harry's latest bore the headmistresses' annotations and a little message at the end in her characteristic upbeat style, complimenting him on the expressions and vocabulary he was now capable of. Harry slipped it under his pillow.

"You're going to sleep with it under your pillow?" said Hermione, raising an eyebrow (her brows had grown back very well; now they grew from the smooth green skin of her face just as they had previously grown from her human skin).

"Well the head's opinion is always of value to me, you remember how I was when Dumbledore was ignoring me two terms ago? Even though he turned out to be so unworthy of my respect." Harry began to busy himself with his night time toilet. That was another change the advent of Frau Roth had wrought in him; normally Harry was not keen on bathing. Take the night after the Third Task the previous summer when he did not wash before going to sleep – Hermione would have thought he would have wanted at the very least to scrub the spot where Voldemort had touched him. When Madame Maxime had still been the head, Hermione had had to practically supervise Harry's bathing. Hermione wasn't sure what she thought of Harry being _this_ eager to please a teacher.

Just her luck that she could be usurped in Harry's affections so quickly. These thoughts were unworthy of Hermione, but how was she supposed to feel? Who was it who comforted Harry nightly with her psychic skills if he was troubled by nightmares or sad thoughts and had done so since the time Arachnos had blundered into their room? Who was it who had been closer to Harry than a sister for approaching five years? Hermione should absolutely not take second place to the headmistress. She touched his cheek as he drifted off and she felt him enter a deep, dreamless sleep. She snuggled up next to him. Some might call Harry self-absorbed, but Hermione loved him for the entirety of who he was and a selfless Harry would be no Harry at all. If you love someone, she realised, you have to be prepared for their not giving you much in return.

* * *

Lavender Brown and two other Gryffindor girls from their year group at Hogwarts had moved to Beauxbatons as soon as the Death Eaters defeated the Ministry of Magic. Harry had taken the trouble to learn Lavender's name, but Shirley and Carly, the other two Gryffindor girls, could have been anonymous and invisible as far as he cared.

What Harry also didn't know what that whenever Ron's great aunt Muriel said that the Weasley clan bred like rabbits, she was actually right. The Weasley's extended clan had bred with the muggles in their village, producing a number of illegitimate half-bloods. The Malfoys had called them blood traitors because they had no shame at all in breeding with muggles and even acknowledged some of their relatives. Arthur Weasley's branch of the family had been close to some of them, in particular a girl named Melissa, who had magic powers and had gone to Hogwarts, and had been sorted into Hufflepuff House. She now shared a dorm room at Beauxbatons with Lavender, Carly and Shirley. Melissa looked just like a Weasley herself. She reflected on this as she dragged a brush through her long red hair and as she gazed into the mirror in the dormitory bathroom, a pale freckled face gazed back at her. Ginny had once told her they could pass for sisters. All these rumours about Ginny couldn't be true, could they? Ginny had seemed so cool at one time and Melissa had wanted to feel like her sister…

Early in the morning, a few minutes past six AM according to the small alarm clock on her bed side table, Melissa awoke feeling that not all was well. The seconds ticked by… now it was six seconds past six minutes past six AM.

"Melly!" cried a voice from the end of her bed.

Melissa gasped – there was Ginny, clad in a long black wedding dress, a circlet made of entwined silver serpents adorning her head. She was sitting at the end of the four poster bed, her long red hair loose behind her as Melly remembered from when they last met.

"Ginny! No, it can't be," said Melissa.

"It is me silly," said Ginny with her rather wicked grin that Melissa always remembered, "don't you want to be like sisters again? Come on, how about a little smile, sis? Nice and wide."

Suddenly Ginny's eyes flashed red and she grasped at Melissa's jaw, breaking it clean off. Melissa couldn't even breathe as blood gushed out of the place where her jaw had been…

And then Melissa awoke from her nightmare and sat up, screaming at the top of her lungs.

The curtains of her four poster were flung aside. Carly had flung them back. Her mop of curly chestnut hair was dishevelled and her blue eyes were wide and fearful. Evidently she had been startled out of her sleep by Melissa screaming. Melissa hastily shut up and breathed hard to get herself under control.

"Melissa! Are you alright? What happened?" Carly asked, her anxiety clear.

"Oh the pathetic twerp had a nightmare again?" said Shirley with a sneer as she sat in her own four poster bed across the room. "Isn't that right, smelly Melly?" Shirley hurled a pillow at Melissa and it hit her with some force in the face.

"Stop that," said Carly, going back to her bedside table, "well we may as well get up now, you know what the head thinks of punctuality."

When Carly was using the bathroom, Melissa eyed Shirley with some trepidation. "Couldn't ever have made it in Gryffindor, could you, smelly Melly?" Shirley said, with a sneer that would have rivalled Draco Malfoy's.

"I think not," said Lavender Brown with a giggle, "you were dreaming about Ginny again, right Mel?"

Melissa felt her bottom lip quiver, but she nodded.

"Better call Frau Roth, if scary old Ginny comes back," said Shirley, poking Melissa in the ribs. "She vill alvays make time for her students."

Shirley's attempt at a German accent was so poor that Lavender Brown giggled.

"Like the head would bother with you," said Shirley, digging Melissa in the ribs again, "I bet it would make Harry Potter _green_ with envy if she did."

Carly came back into the dormitory at that point. Melissa's eyes were filling with tears. "Hey chin up!" said Carly, wiping a tear away from Melissa's cheek. "It was only a dream. Ginny can't really get here."

* * *

It was true that Harry Potter did seem to fawn over the head. One could see it as they traipsed towards the classroom for the German Beginner's Set that morning. When Heidi was sweeping towards the classroom, he stumbled after her, offering to carry her books. She accepted with her trademark beaming smile and effusive thanks while Shirley pulled a face, but hastily stopped when she realised Heidi's eyes were on her. Hermione Granger did not seem altogether thrilled by Harry's eagerness to please, rather she seemed deep in thought.

The discussion in the class was mostly in German now, (translated here for more people to read). The class were bright and happy this morning. Heidi was well liked by all of them, except it seemed by Shirley who didn't like any teacher. Today, the subject Heidi had picked was the environment, particularly theories on the effects muggle industry would have thereon. Apparently it was a popular debate in Germany.

When it came to the discussion, Shirley was determined for her trouble making voice to be heard; "I once had the impression that some _East_ Germans did not care about the environment," she said with a malicious grin. Heidi had told them that she was from Saxony.

"Yeah?" said Heidi, her voice seeming to snarl a little as she said the word. Shirley shrank back in her seat. Some of the other students shifted uneasily, "well I and many other _East_ Germans consider it to be of the greatest importance." Harry Potter glared at Shirley from across the room.

Melissa tried to form a sentence that sounded authentic, but did not offend anyone's point of view; "The climate has changed before muggles brought the industrial era, but industry should still be checked by environmental considerations," she said.

"Beautifully spoken," said Heidi, beaming at her. Melissa met her eyes. If only Heidi could read her thoughts. Well perhaps she could if Melissa thought hard enough.

_My nightmares are getting worse and I need help_, she thought as hard as she could, looking into the headmistress's bright green eyes. A look of concern crossed Heidi's face and she gave a small, barely perceptible nod.

* * *

That evening, the three ex Gryffindor girls were sitting up late in their dorm. Lavender was entertaining them with spooky stories as she had often done at Hogwarts, only now the subject matter was Ginny and her fearsome reputation that had reached them all the way from Mortvania.

"…And the silly muggles who trespassed in her domain were sliced and diced, chopped and mangled, totally toasted…" said Lavender, her eyes wide for dramatic effect.

"Oh Lavender," said Carly, wrinkling her nose in distaste, but Shirley grinned at the gruesome embellishments.

"And it's rumoured that she gave Eddie, their self-appointed leader, special attention for thinking to threaten her with a gun – one of those metal wands that muggles have," Lavender continued, "Ginny is Voldemort's favourite, possibly sitting on his lap right now…"

"On his spike more like," said Shirley with a snigger, "the Supreme Leader can take Harry's sloppy seconds, since Ginny had already forced herself on the Boy Who Lived."

Melissa entered from the shared bathroom at just this moment, "there are some things you shouldn't joke about," she murmured.

"Sorry Melissa," said Carly, nodding her curly head.

"Do go to sleep, if it's too scary for you Melissa," said Lavender.

"Yeah, go to sleep, smelly Melly," said Shirley, attempting to trip Melissa up as she walked past.

"Don't do that," scolded Carly, "she can't help being timid."

"Yes, you know what the headmistress said about 'loving kindness,'" said Lavender, rolling her eyes.

"Her orders from Stasiland must be obeyed without question," said Shirley in German, using a ridiculous, affected voice, "actually she doesn't care about smelly Melly-"

"Mensch, Shirley," came a voice behind them. The three gave a start. Heidi had appeared right behind them, dressed in a blue silk gown, her long red hair glinting in the pale lamplight.

"Ooh headmistress, we were just about to go to sleep," stammered Lavender.

"We were just telling silly stories," said Carly nodding.

Heidi smiled at her, "sleep well you dears," she said, patting both Carly and Lavender on the shoulder.

When the three girls were in bed, she leaned over Shirley, her green eyes hard as ice. "You are never to bully Melissa, clear?" She only whispered, but her voice had an intensity to it and her gaze had the power to transfix, "know that I will always know. Okay? Okay?" Shirley nodded, really unnerved this time.

Heidi glided over to Melissa's bed, drawing the four poster's curtains behind her and casting a silencing charm so the other girls couldn't see or hear. She knelt by the bed so that her face was level with Melissa's. Melissa wondered why she wore that tight fitting green mask – or did she put on thick green face paint? Melissa was not as well read as Dumbledore, that was certain!

"What's wrong, dear Melissa?" said the headmistress, gazing into Melissa's eyes.

"These nightmares," said Melissa, swallowing because of the lump in her throat. How was she supposed to feel, when really she did sort of miss Ginny? When they were small, they had been something like sisters, Ginny having no real sister to play with. She gazed back into those limpid, green eyes, willing herself to remember the nightmare in all its gory detail. Heidi's eyes widened for a split second.

"So is it just a nightmare, headmistress?" asked Melissa.

"No dear, there is a spook – of sorts – trying to contact you, but you need not fear, I'm with you now."

She put her elegant hands to Melissa's forehead, closed her eyes and appeared deep in thought. Suddenly, Melissa felt her head clear. She hadn't even realised that she had felt anything wrong.

"There," said Heidi, "that's over now." The head sat on the side of the bed and put her arms around Melissa, for which she was grateful. Melissa realised she was sniffling again. Oh well, it couldn't be helped. She sniffled onto Heidi's shoulder, feeling the headmistresses' cool, smooth cheek against her own. Heidi had a faintly sweet, musky scent. Maybe it was whatever her green mask was.

"I'm homesick," muttered Melissa.

"I know, Mäuschen," said Heidi, still hugging her, "I wish I could say that we will only enjoy good times, but I sense there is an attack by a great evil impending. It hangs over all of us. I'm going to have to make the governors believe, tonight I think."

But Melissa didn't want her to leave. "I may find it easier to sleep with a lullaby," she suggested. Hopefully Heidi could sing.

Heidi smiled and smoothed Melissa's pillow as the girl lay down. She certainly could sing. She sang "Oh Mein Papa." The song itself is a bit silly, but she sung it very well. There was a faintly wistful look in her green eyes as she did so.

"That's so sweet, headmistress," said Melissa, smiling up at her, "you like clowns then?"

Heidi smiled, her eyes strangely bright. "My papa was a muggle and muggle men don't live long compared to witches. I was so sad when he died, that I never thought I would be able to sing in public again."

"Shame, you have such a good voice," said Melissa, "wish I could sing."

Ginny did not invade Melissa's dreams again, but she certainly made nightmares come true for one other that night...

* * *

Albus Dumbledore was at that moment close to finding the Resurrection Stone, in the ruins of the Gaunt's miserable old shack. The decaying hovel was the wreckage of Slytherin's failed line – itself an example of what inbreeding will always do in the end – right up until Tom Riddle was magically compelled to bring new DNA and new vigour to the Gaunt dynasty.

Dumbledore was drawn to the hovel by a vision of his old lover, Gellert Grindelwald, exactly as the old megalomaniac remembered from the time they plotted to take over the world together, had sacrificed Dumbledore's sister in a dark ritual together and then fallen out when Dumbledore wanted to rule alone. The vision of the laughing boy with shining golden hair and sky blue eyes stood right in front of him, beckoning him on.

"Power, just think, all the power for believers in the Deathly Hallows," said Grindelwald laughing. The shining figure entered the broken down hovel and as one in a fevered dream, Dumbledore followed him. Grindelwald held out an old wooden box, in which there lay an ugly, gold ring with a black stone set into it.

"Take it, an army of inferi at your disposal," said the vision.

Dumbledore did take it, so blinded by his own greed and megalomania that the figure's mind control spell had completely ensnared his senses. But as he put on the ring, the mental snares laid on him were released. There was an acrid smell of burning flesh. Dumbledore's hand was withering as though in flames. But before he could even yell in pain, the figure of the blond boy became a beautiful, red headed girl in a long black wedding dress, wielding a sword made from the points of a thousand swords each of which had killed men in battle. The deadly sword stabbed Dumbledore through the heart, the dark powers imbued in the blade extinguishing his life force. As the wizard's magical energy dissipated, the blade glowed briefly red as it absorbed some.

Ginny grinned as she stared down at Dumbledore's corpse which was already burning up from the curse of Gaunt's ring.

"Now your scheming's done, what will be your legacy, Albus?" said Ginny and then gave a silvery laugh, holding the blade in the air. "Accept this offering, oh Supreme Leader! Dark Lord of my heart! The life's blood of your old enemy! And I have more sacrifices planned to prove my devotion…"

* * *

_**Author's Note:** Everyone feel free to make suggestions. All suggestions will at least be considered at this point. Thank you to all who have subscribed and favourited. _


	13. Chapter 13

**In Preparation for Battle  
**

Hermione had sensed a new urgency in the headmistress's thoughts as she intensified the training of the metahuman girls, coaching them personally on a regular basis. It was clear that she feared a further attack on Beauxbatons from Mortvania although how and when was not so clear.

Heidi taught Hermione and Lucie together as they were less experienced in the development of their powers than the other two metahuman girls were. This evening she was teaching them about laying a psychic snare. They had descended to a network of caverns deep below the palace, partly submerged in water. The "minus caverns" or so they were called.

The caverns were lit by an eerie blue light – the result of magical residue in the rocks. Heidi led them to the shore of an underground lake and stood, tall and proud on the shores as she instructed them on the task ahead. The spectral light of the caverns shone off her green nose and cheeks as she gazed at them, issuing instructions through their psychic link; "_now remember_," came her thoughts through their psychic link, "_the poor souls who fill these caverns all tried to perpetuate their youth by magic, but they failed and lost their life force, becoming the minuses. They can sense us, for the lives we possess and will try to cling to us. Dear Hermione, Dear Lucie, the task ahead is for you to guide them through a psychic framework of your devising."_

The three of them set out on a raft, magically propelled by Heidi's will power over the still surface of the lake. The air was dank and moist. Hermione could feel drops of moisture condensing in her hair. She could sense Lucie's trepidation.

"_The tunnel is ahead_," cautioned Heidi.

The raft entered a narrow tunnel and immediately the girls' senses were assailed by the presence of a multitude of stunted psyches around them. The rocky walls were adorned with what appeared to be blobs of luridly coloured jelly and yet they all pulsated. They were alive.

"_The minuses," _came Heidi's thought,_ "they took off more years than they had in their quest for eternal youth and now are in a permanent state of sub-humanity. I have shielded us from their senses, but when I withdraw my shields, they will sense you both, my dears. Can you sense them? You must guide them away from us."_

"_I don't think I can," _came Lucie's thought. Her dark eyes were wide and she was clearly ill at ease_, "the poor things… stuck like that forever. It's horrible."_

"_I'm here, Lucie_," Hermione assured her.

"_Fret not, my sweet, they will not harm you_," came Heidi's thought, "_this is an exercise in focus_."

Heidi's shields slipped away. The minuses propelled themselves with astonishing speed at the witches on the raft. Blobs of brightly coloured jelly - yellow, pink, purple and other lurid shades hurled themselves from the rocky walls and the ceiling. Lucie squeaked, covering her green face with her hands. Hermione propelled her psychic tendrils in all directions, endeavouring to guide the minuses back to the walls. She could feel their desperate desire to warm themselves against the living, thinking witches. She could feel that they had dim recollections that they had once had sentience and living forms too. She sent them reassurance and persuaded them to go back to their resting places. The blobs of jelly returned to the rocky walls, but as the raft propelled onwards, more minuses pulsated on the stone ceilings, on the stalactites and the rocks around them, ready to fly at them. Hermione had to keep sending messages of dissuasion.

"_I can't do it_," said Lucie, shaking her head. "_They're so desperate and yet beyond help_. _Mum and Dad were so proud that I have metahuman powers, but I can't lay down psychic guidance in circumstances like these_."

Heidi wrapped the young girl in her arms and held her close. "_I know my precious darling. Of course it is upsetting to witness. They only still have the instinct to approach warmth. It is a harsh truth that they tried to break the confines of the human condition themselves, when they had not been deemed worthy to do so, as we were_."

Lucie was reassured by the feeling of Heidi's warmth and closeness. Hermione continued to guide them through the tunnel alone.

_"Fantastic work, Hermione_," Heidi told her, glowing with pride at her student's achievement.

Once back in the palace, it was necessary to discuss what strategy should be in place in the event of a Mortvanian attack.

"_We are so few in the face of great odds if the Death Eaters try a second full scale attack," _Heidi told them_, "we should not expect the same kind of attack again, rather one with more subtlety. As we already know, we cannot recruit many more to become like us. The consequences of recruiting those who are unworthy would be dire. But I do have one in mind who could help us if she had the power. One with a brave heart."_

Hermione could sense she meant Carly. _"Bravery was always considered the defining virtue of our clique at Hogwarts. Cliques defined our lives there. Our clique was Gryffindor. Being part of it did make many of us develop bravery. So many of us became bold, but not all Gryffindors became good."_

_"What do you think, dear Hermione, you knew the other Gryffindor girls best?"_ asked Heidi.

"_Carly's heart was in the right place," _Hermione replied._ "Shirley's completely unworthy and I doubt Lavender would be suitable, but perhaps the hamadryads would consider Carly."_

* * *

Later that evening, Carly, Lavender and Melissa were playing exploding snap in the dormitory while Shirley sat sullenly in a corner – she had quarrelled with the other girls about playing a prank on the headmistress. Melissa felt much more at ease, now that her nightmares had ceased.

"It's idiotic even to think about pranking the head," said Lavender, as her ace of spades blew up.

"Simple cowardice on your part," jeered Shirley.

"The headmistress is a good person and she does care. I didn't get the impression that Dumbledore did," said Carly. Melissa murmured in agreement.

Shirley sneered. "I think Melissa is snobbish that exploding snap is what passes for entertainment in the magical world. She must be thinking how much better muggle inventions such as video games are. That's what you get for accepting the muggle raised. You get comments about how lame chocolate frog stickers are and how something as infantile as gobstones is the most sophisticated magical game."

"Oh do shut up about it, Shirley," said Carly, "Melissa's a friend."

"I had pinched some blackcurrant wine from the kitchens," said Lavender, suddenly remembering. "We should all try some. The house elves assured me it's a fine vintage."

Lavender poured the wine into four goblets and at that moment Heidi appeared in the dormitory again.

"Oh headmistress!" said Carly, "we were just doing some wine tasting… would you like some? It seems the right thing to do in France."

"Thank you my dear, you are right," said Heidi, her eyes sparkling. "As long as no one here thinks about spitting it at the headmistress." She met Shirley's eyes and Shirley defiantly met her gaze. "Had you planned this!" said Heidi, amused.

Melissa had hoped the headmistress would be visiting again. She couldn't help but feel happy with her around. Heidi flashed her a smile. "Good to see you looking so well, Melissa," she said, patting her shoulder. "I can't stay long you dears. I wanted to speak to Carly in private."

* * *

In the head's study, Heidi made her proposition to Carly.

"I could have the powers you do?" said Carly, her eyes wide.

"Only if you are sure you want to and the hamadryads agree this night," said Heidi. "I sense that a great evil will attack us soon. In all honesty, I need all the help I can get. Those with metahuman powers must take the lead in defence, but I can't recruit as many more, only those who are worthy."

Carly felt excitement flare up in her. "It sounds like great adventure too," she replied.

"Yet, we will all be in grave danger and there will be a lot of risk," cautioned Heidi. She stroked her green cheek. "We cannot take these off. The change in our looks is forever. Tomorrow, I can arrange a meeting with the supernatural judges. Meanwhile, you must think long and carefully my dear, whether this is what you want."

Heidi laid an elegant hand on Carly's arm.

"Know this, my dear. I can tell you have a brave heart and I am happy that you tried to stop Shirley from bullying Melissa. I would be happy if you joined us, but you must do what is right for _you_. I will not order you to fight or take part in a dangerous adventure."

* * *

Back in the dormitory Carly was so excited she could hardly sleep. She looked in a mirror with a gilded frame at her round face with its pert little nose. Her reflection gazed quizzically back at her. Her chestnut curls were all over the place again.

To think, she could be a part of a big adventure. Excitement. Action. When the Death Eaters had attacked Beauxbatons, she had wanted to be in the front ranks, but the head girl had forbidden it and had to carry her back when she had tried to slip to the front against orders. That had supplied Shirley with snide jokes for days. Well if she had had a green face as well she could have been leading the fight. Maybe even fought Voldemort himself and saved Madame Maxime...

"Are you OK, Carly?" said Melissa softly, sitting herself next to Carly by the mirror.

"Do I look jumpy?" said Carly, grinning.

"A little," said Melissa, "but why?" She gazed at Carly with those bright brown eyes of hers searching her for an answer.

"The head offered me powers like she and Hermione have," said Carly. Melissa's eyes widened. Carly rather liked that Melissa was easily impressed.

"A little late for April Fool's day, wasn't she?" said Shirley from across the room.

"Mm hmm," said Carly coolly, "she was perfectly serious as it happens."

"You wouldn't leave this dorm, if you were super powered?" said Melissa, flicking a strand of her long red hair away from her face. "I don't want you to go."

"I won't," said Carly putting her arms round Melissa. "I really want to be able to fight the Death Eaters if they attack. I want adventure. Think of the things that kept happenning around Harry at Hogwarts. I really felt that I wanted it to be me these things happened to. Firstly I didn't want Harry to be in danger, but I also need excitement."

Melissa hugged her tighter. Her hair had a curious, citrus scent.

"Listen to yourself, Carly," said Lavender from her four poster. "Why would you be unhappy with yourself? Harry is Harry and you are Carly."

"Are you going to angst like Ron Weasley did?" said Shirley. "Remember how he reacted when Harry got into the Triwizard Tournament and I said that Ron was a stereotypical sidekick? That really cheesed him off. And he does have hero's sidekick written all over him."

Lavender giggled. "He does! He really is like a stereotypical sidekick from boys adventure stories. He's sort of ungainly, with a freckled face, but that's why he's cute."

"Adventures bring danger too. I think you should talk to Harry and Hermione," said Melissa, "Harry is someone who has things happen to him and Hermione already has special powers. They can help. I wish I could."

"I know, sweetie," said Carly softly, "I think we'll have tea together tomorrow."

* * *

The next day was officially the last day of term and many students were leaving for the summer. The Hogwarts refugees did not of course have that option. Harry and Hermione had afternoon tea in the kitchens with Carly, Lavender and Melissa. The house elves waited on their table.

Harry noticed that Carly seemed excited about something. In fact, she was clearly bursting to say what was on her mind. As soon as they sat down and the elves began to lay down the scones, Carly blurted out; "the head's offered my powers like you have Hermione. She said that if I am judged worthy, I can have them if I choose."

"And what are your feelings, Carly?" asked Hermione gently, gazing back at Carly.

"The head said that it is likely we'll be attacked again and I really do want to have the power to put up a real fight. If we led everyone into battle together it would be an adventure worth talking about," said Carly earnestly, "I want to confess that I envied you and Harry on the adventures you've had." Carly's cheeks flushed a little pink and she fixed Harry with her blue eyes, "and I really wanted to be the one to be Triwizard champion last year."

A few months ago, Harry might have started yelling at her about how she had no idea what adventures were like and that it wasn't about memorising a bunch of spells and throwing them at Voldemort... but Harry felt that he had matured since then. Perhaps it was being free from the influence of Ron and Dumbledore.

"Sorry," said Carly, "I know it must have been awful for you in that third task when you-know-who killed Cedric..." Melissa gave a sniff and Carly put an arm around her shoulders.

"It's OK," said Harry and Hermione gave a small smile.

"It's just that at Hogwarts, the houses themselves were cliques and those cliques were our lives. And even before Hogwarts, I really wanted to be in Gryffindor. I just wanted to prove myself and to really make a difference - the right sort of difference."

"Precisely what I said to the headmistress," said Hermione, "there were indeed a lot of lion hearts in Gryffindor. You must follow your heart, Carly. Bear in mind that with increased power, comes increased responsibility. Yes, I know that sounds cliched and I'm glad Shirley isn't here to accuse me of cribbing lines from Spider-Man, but it is perfectly true. The weight of that responsibility seems too heavy to bear at times, but there is no road back for me. On the other hand, I can protect the ones I love. There's my mum and dad here in the palace and Harry."

Harry felt warm inside when Hermione said she loved him. That expression of sincerity was so adorable on her. He linked his arm in hers and grinned at Carly.

"Friendship is worth fighting for," said Melissa suddenly. "I would like to have powers to defend my friends, all of you."

"Oh Melissa," said Carly.

"You must keep in mind, Carly, you would not have, you know, erm..." said Lavender, touching her cheek.

"It's OK Lavender, you can say it," said Hermione, "Carly knows she would not have the same face anymore. In the end, Carly, you must decide."

* * *

Back in the dormitory that evening, Melissa sat up in bed, waiting, while Carly went off to see the headmistress. Shirley dared not bother Melissa, even though Carly and the head were not there. Heidi might tolerate a small amount of insolence directed at her, but it was obvious that she despised Shirley's bullying of the weak.

Melissa was excited. What would Carly choose and what would it mean for them all? She had been gone for hours. Melissa was getting butterflies in her stomach on her friend's behalf.

Then at long last came Carly's voice: "Hey girls, I'm back."

"Hey Carly," said Melissa, flinging back the curtains of her four poster and slipping out of bed. Her heart leapt. Carly's face was bright green, the colour of fresh, spring grass, just like Heidi's and Hermione's. The lamplight shone off her green nose and cheeks. Actually, her round face looked kind of cute now. So vibrant and shiny. Melissa wondered what it would feel like to kiss her cheek. So Carly was as powerful as Hermione now and Melissa had a super powered friend.

"Oh Carly, what have you done?" said Lavender, eyes wide.

"Trying to make the dorm more colourful?" said Shirley, raising an eyebrow.

"I have new powers, but that's just the start," said Carly flashing her characteristic cheeky grin, "there's a lot of adventure on our horizon, girls. Just like the adventures Harry and Hermione kept having at Hogwarts."

So Carly had been given those strange powers that the headmistress had? Melissa was glad, Carly was really nice as well as cute. Carly smiled at her with those new dark green lips of hers. "I don't like adventure much," said Melissa softly, "I won't pretend otherwise, but I - I would still like an adventure if we were in it together."

"Risk is not for Hufflepuffs," said Shirley with a sneer. "Hiding underground like a little badger is."

"The old cliques from Hogwarts are finished and we're all here and we're all in this together," said Carly. "I want you to start acting like it, Shirley."

Shirley scowled and folded her arms.

"Well, let's make a pact," said Carly, "if we have an adventure, we're in it together, one for all, all for one."

Carly, Melissa and Lavender put their hands together.

Shirley glowered. "If you think you can push us around because you are powerful now, I won't be bullied," she retorted.

Carly's eyes flashed, "accusations of bullying are weird, coming from you. Have you forgotten how you treated Melissa at first, when my back was turned?"

So Carly could read minds. Her powers already began to grow.

"Congratulations Carly," said Melissa, flushing furiously as she looked Carly full in the face. She hugged her quickly as Shirley made mock vomiting sounds. Carly hugged her back. Her smooth green cheek felt very smooth against Melissa's own. Even if there were adventures on the horizon, having friends was the most important thing and that is what she had learned in Hufflepuff house.

* * *

The next day, Shirley seethed in private about the turn of events. Most of the other students at Beauxbatons had left for the summer vacation, but of course, the refugees had to stay at the school. The headmistress had scheduled a party that evening in a vain effort to keep spirits up – the silly kraut. Well Shirley didn't care. She had a prank of her own in mind that would show them all who was queen of Beauxbatons and it wouldn't be anyone green. Shirley had ordered a love potion, so called, as could have been bought from Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes and intended to put it in the punch. Evidently there was a similar joke shop in France, established recently, where one could send off for things and have them sent in in disguise.

She quickly opened it in the girl's bathroom and found a small bottle. She unscrewed the lid. It should smell like what attracted her…

When she unscrewed the lid, there was a flash and a puff of scarlet smoke. A long, glistening, blood red worm writhed out of the bottle and Shirley dropped it in alarm. With astonishing speed the, worm slithered along the carpet and wrapped around her ankles, causing her to fall over. It felt so cold and clammy…

And then, with an icy surge of terror, Shirley saw the smoke coalesce above her to form the outline of a girl. The smoke cleared and Shirley saw a beautiful girl, with long red hair, dressed in an ornate, black wedding gown gazing down at her, a small smile playing on her ruby lips.

"Congratulations Shirley. I'm going to be your prize," said Ginny huskily, her eyes gleaming scarlet.


	14. Chapter 14

**Ginny's Invasions**

_**Author's Note: ** Chapter five has been rewritten. In the new version of chapter five, an explanation is given as to why Ginny has become the way she is in this story. It is my attempt to rationalise JKR's wildly inconsistent characterisation of her. Specifically why she is a completely different character in the later series in canon, compared to the early series._

Shirley felt herself paralysed as Ginny smiled down at her with that wicked smile Shirley had seen so often at Hogwarts. But Ginny never wore the long black wedding dress, nor the silver bracelets shaped like coiling snakes back then.

"Aren't you glad that your wicked intent brought me here, Shirley?" purred Ginny. "Love potions are so wrong, no matter what double standards there are in the magical world, or so Granger would tell you. I have come to... possess you."

Shirley found she still couldn't move. The long red worm that had first emerged from the potion bottle now slithered up her leg and pierced her vulva. She juddered with shock at the invasion. The unwanted presence inside her began to stimulate her and she could do nothing about it. Ginny grinned and leaned over her, locking her lips onto Shirley's and kissing her savagely.

* * *

That evening, the party Heidi had organised for those remaining at the palace for the summer was in full swing in Beauxbaton's Great Hall. Lucie had left to go on holiday with her mum and dad and the older two had now graduated. There were only two metahuman girls left at Beauxbatons, Hermione and the newest recruit – Carly. Harry and Hermione sat around a table with Carly and Melissa, drinking punch and sampling a potato salad Heidi had made them.

Harry had of course noticed that Carly now had a shiny green face, just like Hermione. He didn't care that he himself was unworthy of being so empowered. Hermione was very dear to him and she was a vital part of his life. He was proud of her and that was what mattered. He was glad she had told him a little bit about Carly so it wasn't so obvious that he hadn't taken the trouble to learn her name when they had been at Hogwarts. He remembered Carly a little. Her round face and pert nose were now the same intense, grass green as Hermione's face. Close to he could see her whole face was very smooth – her eyebrows had not yet grown back.

They were discussing how Harry had killed the basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets three years previously.

"So you took the adventure yourself, Harry?" said Carly, her blue eyes wide, "you didn't even consider asking the teachers?"

Hermione grimaced. "Don't go taking that wrong idea from this, Carly," she said, "I would never have allowed it if I hadn't been petrified. I wasn't conscious, but I would have been beside myself with worry if I had known Harry had gone into the Chamber alone."

"You know, you were always sort of like a single mum to Ron and I," said Harry thoughtfully, thinking about how much he needed Hermione to be with him. Voldemort had taken Lily, but he could not take Hermione…

Neville Longbottom came up and plumped down beside them. "Hi there," he said, "it's too bad we never all got to have an adventure together ourselves this summer."

"We may yet get to," said Carly, "Harry was just telling us about his adventure in the Chamber of Secrets all those years ago… he was the coolest twelve year old imaginable! I actually used to have a crush on you Harry, for the way you got into those situations and then acted so casually about them afterwards that it was like you had half-forgotten them over the summer."

"The Chamber of Secrets was the adventure you had with Ginny, wasn't it Harry?" said Neville.

Harry gave a start. "Yes – sh-she was there," said Harry. "Why do you ask?"

"I wonder if anything happened to her down there," said Neville, "to make her the way she is?"

Hermione was gazing at Neville intently.

"Well it's just that she is now foremost among the Death Eaters – she killed Bellatrix Lestrange and took her place, it's talked about a lot in Mortvania," said Neville flushing, "but Ginny was a different character three years ago. She was quite childish for her age back then. She sent Harry that valentine which was really quite sweet and was mild mannered. It's as though she had a personality transplant at some point and became this really aggressive girl with a mucus fixation who kept insulting, manipulating and attacking everyone and generally being really weird and even more obnoxious than Shirley or Pansy Parkinson. What explanation could there be for that unless she was demonically possessed?"

Melissa sniffed, but remained silent. Carly squeezed her hand. A month ago, Harry would have panicked at the topic of Ginny being raised, but now, after supernatural counselling he felt stronger and able to withstand it.

"Something really unnatural did grow in her over time," said Hermione, stroking her green cheek pensively. "I mean, once I would never have thought that she would tell me not to talk about Quidditch, because I would embarrass myself if I did. She didn't even used to like the game. At the World Cup, she seemed to think it was too rough. But then such sadism grew in her. The Ginny of three years ago was not a good girl – when Harry stopped the depredations of Voldemort and the basilisk and rescued her, she only worried about getting expelled, she didn't care about the victims who she had helped to hurt when Voldemort possessed her. And she kept that whole matter a secret even when he wasn't possessing her. But even that Ginny was nothing like the horror she became. I wonder what she was like before Voldemort began to influence her?"

* * *

At that moment, Lavender was making out with a cute French boy named Pierre in the back of his second hand citroen. As they kissed, Pierre felt Lavender's hand demolished his pants.

"Oh yes, give me a hand job too," he breathed, "you're great at it."

"What do you mean?" said Lavender pulling away. "I'm not touching you like that, see?" She showed him both her hands.

Pierre gave a start and looked down at his private parts. A pale, slender girl's hand was poking up through the seat of the car and had been fondling his manhood! He yelled in shock! The hand waved and withdrew.

Suddenly Ginny's face appeared, glaring through the windscreen. Her eyes flashed scarlet. Lavender screamed. The next thing they knew, Ginny had crashed through the windscreen and grabbed hold of Pierre. Lavender tumbled out of the car, nearly falling over in her haste to get away. She ran and ran, her heart thumping like mad, panic threatening to overwhelm her. Suddenly she saw Shirley staggering towards her.

"Shirley!" She exclaimed. "Ginny's here! We've got to tell the head. Shirley?"

But Shirley just stood in front of her, not responding. Her dark eyes had a glazed look. Her face was ashy pale and her normally sleek, black hair was dishevelled.

Suddenly Shirley's eyes flashed red and she gave a weird, hissing noise. Then Ginny's voice issued from her throat. "Nasty tell tale, Lavender… I'm going to give you a good, hard spanking…" Shirley's body lurched forward, cannoning into Lavender and pinning her down with unnatural strength…


	15. Chapter 15

**The Challenge  
**

Frau Roth came sweeping down the Great Hall as the Hogwarts refugees sat discussing Harry's previous adventures. Harry smiled and looked up. Her sky blue robes rustled as she came and her auburn hair rippled and bounced. What were his feelings for her? She did look something like his mum and even acted maternal, but then she acted maternal towards other students as well. Hermione only acted maternal to him. Harry's thoughts never worked very fast, but now he was thinking again for the first time in quite a while…

"You dears," said Heidi, urgency in her voice, "I sense there is something terribly wrong. For this reason, I am giving out panaceas to all." She handed them each a muggle super soaker water pistol, the barrels loaded with the glowing panacea potion.

Carly accepted one, her blue eyes wide again. "You really think there will be action, Headmistress?"

"I am afraid that we will be attacked again darling, like the night poor Madame Maxime died," said Heidi with a nervous smile.

"But this is great! Now we'll get to have an adventure. I'll defend you all!" said Carly.

But at that moment, the chilling voice of Voldemort rang through the Great Hall once again:

"**I have returned. You know who I seek. Surrender Potter to me and there need be no pure magical blood spilled. I cannot give you long before we attack. Make the wise decision this time."**

"Never," breathed Heidi and Harry felt an upsurge of affection for her.

Hermione clutched his arm, her chocolate brown eyes wide, but when she spoke her voice was steady, "does the old monster not realise that I would never let you go?" Harry felt a warm glow of love for this unique and special person who was always at his side…

But then the evil voice of Voldemort cut through his reflections:

"**Frau Roth, if you fear for your charges, why don't you come out and fight like a real German. We could settle this one on one, you and I."**

Heidi's green face looked determined, her dark green lips set.

"You dears," she told them, "I will lead the staff to the defence positions on the ramparts. You must all go to the fortified heart of the palace. Hermione and Carly, you must lead the way there. _Obey me_," the last two words seemed to reverberate in all their minds leaving no room for argument. Even Carly did not protest.

* * *

Heidi stood on the ramparts above the central keep with the staff who were in fighting form. With her psychic powers searching far and wide, she could feel the icy touch of Voldemort's presence somewhere hidden.

"You do not seek to sacrifice those worthless house elves, Frau Roth," said the cold voice on the night air, "Dumbledore was so much better at using pawns than you are and yet he is nothing but cold bones now. You will follow."

"I can defeat you myself, _Abschaum_," hissed Heidi. "You will be nothing more than cold bones. You will never trouble us, nor dear Harry ever again."

She let the glow of her affection for Harry radiate forth into the night. Voldemort sense it. She could feel a jolt of his poisonous rage in return and his order to his pawns, the Death Eaters, to attack her.

At that moment, the first wave of Death Eaters came hurtling towards them on broomsticks and garden hoes, but Heidi simply glared, projecting the full force of her pent up psychic energy. The Death Eaters began to careen about aimlessly in the air, as though confunded, their reasons for being their forgotten.

"**Imbeciles!"** roared Voldemort, **"I will deal with this mutated harridan myself and rip her freakish mask from her skull."**

This was it. Voldemort himself hurtled towards her with the rest of the Death Eaters. Heidi let her psychic energies surround her in a protective envelope of emerald radiance. Then she hurled herself, like a blazing comet into the night and towards Voldemort. The other staff raised their wands to meet the onslaught of the approaching Death Eaters. The battle began in earnest.

* * *

"You all heard, we're to go to the Inner Sanctum," said Hermione, "follow Carly and I." But Melissa could see worry in her shiny green face and Carly was scowling.

Melissa nodded and slipped her arm in Carly's. "We really should obey," she said softly. She didn't want Carly to get angry and lose her head. Not now, when she had found someone she could love.

But then there were exclamations from the students at the other end of the hall around the platform. Melissa's heart leapt. Ginny was right there, performing some kind of dance, her fiery hair flowing around her as she did so as the students whooped and applauded.

"YOU!" exclaimed Hermione in utter disbelief.

Melissa heard a stifled gasp. Harry watched in frozen horror.

Ginny smiled right back at Melissa and then vanished.

"Ginny was right there!" squeaked Melissa, I saw her.

"I know I know, she was definitely here," said Hermione, her voice trembling.

The body of Shirley came lurching up to the platform, ashen faced and hollow eyed.

"Shirley isn't here…" said Carly slowly, "that's not Shirley."

"Care to dance?" Said Ginny's voice from Shirley's throat.

Hermione ran forward yelling a warning. Shirley's breasts suddenly expanded into shocking pillars of distended flesh and wrapped themselves around the boy's hand, crushing the bones.

As Hermione and the others ran forward, Melissa could feel Ginny's voice in her mind.

"_You still love me, don't you sis? I've been desperate to talk to you. Just you and me against the world, like it's always been?"_

Melissa was filled with the compulsion to obey the voice. Of course Ginny was right. As the others ran forward, surrounding the animated corpse of Shirley, Melissa hung back.

"_To the Inner Sanctum, Sis, I'm waiting,"_ came Ginny's voice again and now it didn't inspire fear in Melissa, rather it seemed like an old friend speaking to her, which of course it should.

Melissa turned and slipped away, ready to meet her sister in the Inner Sanctum. How could she ever have feared her?


	16. Chapter 16

**End of All Things**

When Shirley's corpse had been drenched in Panacea and Ginny's other victims in the Hall similarly doused, the poisonous tendrils of Ginny's presence withdrew. Carly cheered and punched the air.

"We've only just started hitting back," cautioned Hermione, "we're going to have to find Ginny herself now."

"Where is Melissa?" said Carly suddenly. Hermione frowned. Harry could see her green face looked worried.

"I can't sense her either and that certainly means trouble," she said, "but I think I know where Ginny is. Her foul influence radiates from somewhere… could it be the Inner Sanctum?"

"Well we must go and confront her, be like true Gryffindors," said Carly.

The little group of them strode forward down the corridor. Neville remained hindmost, dimly aware of some groping horror, that always seemed about to ensnare him. Why had the passageways become so unnaturally dark?

"_Neville!" _Ginny's voice sounded in his mind,_ "how could you treat me as an enemy? I killed Bellatrix Lestrange. That's why the other Death Eaters fear me so and you know it. Everyone talks about it in Mortvania. I brought justice to one who was too evil to live. Dumbledore never did. Harry never did. And Hermione would never have bothered with you. Only I ever cared. Surrender your will! Surrender your flesh! I can make you mine. It can be your reward."_

Hermione stopped suddenly in her tracks, causing Harry to almost collide with her. She whipped round, supersoaker held aloft. With a thrill of horror, Harry could see that Neville's eyes had gone blank, leaving just shadows where his eyeballs had been. He gave a terrible hiss and then Ginny's laughter issued from his throat. But Hermione and Carly squirted twin jets of panacea at him and he hissed again, steam coming out of his mouth and ears. He collapsed to the floor as Ginny left him.

"We're coming for you, Ginny!" called Carly.

As they made their way furtively down the corridor, Lavender staggered into view, her face very pale and her blond hair dishevelled. She opened her mouth and Ginny's voice sounded from her throat, "no time for girly girly action?" They all squirted Lavender with the panacea and she collapsed to the floor retching slime and then a long, wriggling black centipede with scuttled along the floor until Hermione stamped on it.

"Ginny put a bug in her, but she'll be OK now," Hermione told them, "you'd better come with us Lavender, it's just Carly and I who can challenge Ginny now."

Finally they reached the Inner Sanctum. The doorknob had morphed into a skull with a serpent wriggling out of it. The Dark Mark! Ginny was here. Her voice rang out; "I would never bother with anything so trivial as a trap on the door. Do come in."

The door swung open and then entered to an astonishing scene. Ginny, in a clinging black dress was standing over a stone altar on which Melissa lay. Ginny was holding a hideous sword, with the handle carved to resemble a Dark Mark. The blade glowed a dull red.

"I let you get all the way to the Inner Sanctum so that you could witness my act of devotion to the Dark Lord," Ginny gloated, "I sacrificed Dumbledore, his arch enemy, but now I get to sacrifice my sister! As Abraham would have sacrificed his son to God if it had been required, so I really will sacrifice my sister to the Dark Lord!"

"No!" said Lavender. Hermione and Carly glared and Ginny, but their psychic powers did not seem to affect her.

"Swap places Hermione, if you really care," said Ginny with a sneer. "You've already given up your face just for Harry. Wouldn't you give your life for Melissa's?" Harry's stomach gave a lurch. Surely Hermione wouldn't? But a serene expression came into Hermione's green face and she nodded.

Suddenly there was Hermione lying on the altar and Melissa and Ginny both standing over her. Ginny glared at Melissa, her psychic powers bearing down on her with such intensity that even Harry could see it. The Gryffindors tried to surge forward, but they were held back by an invisible force field.

"Now Melissa, you can take her powers from her," said Ginny, "this blade has drained Dumbledore's powers and it can even drain this mutant of her's. You just have to stab her through the heart. I can sense that your will is my will. You will do it then." She handed Melissa the sword, confident that Melissa would obey.

Hermione looked up, her bushy hair spread out on the altar around her, her chocolate brown eyes serene as she gazed up at Melissa.

Harry tried to yell at Hermione to get up, but his throat felt very tight as though Ginny were squeezing it from across the chamber…

"I know what I must do," said Melissa steadily and she lifted the sword and then swung and stabbed Ginny through the heart. Ginny's eyes flicked wide open, red rimmed and filled with fear. She staggered back, the sword protruding right through her. Hermione was on her feet in a moment. The force field melted away and Carly tossed Hermione a super soaker.

"Worship Voldemort now do you?" said Hermione scornfully, "well say your prayers," and she squirted the panacea full into Ginny's face. Ginny shrieked and steam surrounded her. "Melissa's will was not your will. I just created an illusion to make you believe that, fool!" said Hermione triumphantly. Ginny was now engulfed by smoke. Then she was gone.

The Gryffindors cheered, but they should have realised it was not over.

Smoke billowed around them and a terrible form emerged from it. A grotesque monster with the tail of a giant, red snake and the torso and breasts of a woman and Ginny's face, now covered with red scales, her fiery hair billowing around her. The coils of the snake looped around each of the Gryffindors and they felt themselves being crushed in its iron grip, but then they felt the warm glow of Hermione's psychic powers in each of them as she wordlessly joined them all in a psychic link, just as she had done during the defence of Beauxbatons when Voldemort and Ginny had first attacked. Now their powers were all joined and Hermione channelled their magic into a form of her own choosing. A sword made of dazzling, shining light.

"_Blade of truth, strike hard. May evil die and good prevail,"_ came Hermione's thought and she plunged the blade of light through the monster's black heart. It's coils released them and it began to thrash about in its death throes. The Gryffindors picked up their supersoakers again and squirted it with panacea and its horrible form began to dissolve. A foul black mist arose from its carcass, but Hermione's thought came again, loud and clear, "_Oh no Ginny! There's no escape for you now!"_

With the force of their combined magic, Hermione ensnared Ginny's foul essence with her psychic powers and dragged it towards her. The black mist was drawn, struggling toward's Hermione's powerful mind. It touched Hermione's bright green forehead and then disappeared, sucked into a psychic prison Hermione had prepared for it in her own head. Hermione panted with the effort, her green face now glistening with sweat, but she gave a grin of triumph. Ginny's essence was trapped in her mind and she was not letting it go.

"_Got her!" _She told them in triumph. "_But she's struggling hard to get out. I'm going to have to find a permanent prison for her. Now we must get to the battlements. I suspect Frau Roth is in danger."_


End file.
